Anywhere But Here
by Sister Golden Hair
Summary: RELOADED.After the suicide of her beloved mother, Storm Tessio swears off love. Sent to Castle Rock to live with family, she finds she likes the place and makes some unlikely friends. What will she do when she falls for one of them? A Cobras Story.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own any characters from Stand By Me. However, I do own evryone in this chapter. The book 'White Oleander' was a huge influence on this first chapter. Um, I guess thats everything.  
  
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He came into our lives without a warning, Pete Greene. My mother and I laughed about him at first, the way he followed her to all her poetry readings, constantly trying to get her to go out with him. I knew from looking at him that he wasn't her type. She liked the shy blonde in the white tee shirt, who stood in the back watching her, helpless, intoxicated. After fifteen years as Camille's daughter, I could spot them in my sleep. Pete was different though. Stout around the middle, a dark red ponytail, freckles on his face and arms. When he approached her and struck up a conversation, I almost laughed out loud.  
  
He stuck out his hand. "Name's Pete Greene. I really love your work." She shook his hand, not even looking into his face. "What're you doing after the reading?" He asked. My mother raised her blue eyes slowly.  
  
"My daughter and I have a previous engagment." She told him, nodding towards the table where I sat, drawing a bonsi tree.  
  
"After that." He persisted. I liked his self confidence. My mother simply shook her head.  
  
"Come on, Storm." She called to me and I hurried towards her. I always came when my mother called.  
  
I was often picked on about my name. Mother said that when I was born my eyes were the blu-black color of storm cloud, and she always loved when it stormed. The nurse almost refused to write it on my birth certificate.  
  
"Give that baby a good christian name!" The nurse told her.  
  
My mother told her it was none of her buisiness what she named her baby. The nurse rolled her eyes, but wrote it down, 'Storm Lynn Tessio'.  
  
After the reading, we drove into the hill's then down towards the Vally for lunch. I always loved Southern California in the late Autum. When the rest of the nation was getting colder, we were still warm and sunny.  
  
"Can you believe that man?" Mother asked. I was staring out the window, thinking about my drawing.  
  
"Who?"  
  
"That Greene man! The one who looked like a goat!" She said, hitting her palm on the steering wheel.  
  
"Oh. What about him?"  
  
"Storm! Weren't you listening to him? Expecting me to go out with him! Never date a man like that, who expects you to do things."  
  
"Yes Mother." I always did what my Mother said. She had all kinds of her own rules and I followed them like religion.  
  
_____________________________________________________________________  
  
"I saw him again." Mother said to me a week later. "The Goat Man. I think he's following me."  
  
She had just come home from work. She worked at a magizine called 'The Poetic'. She did most of her poetry readings on the weekends. "He was with that actress, Laurel Fintch. She was actually kissing that fat goat man! Can you imagine?"  
  
I knew she couldn't. Beauty was one of her laws. You could do anything you wanted, as long as you were beautiful, as long as you did it beautifully. If you weren't beautiful, you just didn't exsist. She had drummed that into my head from the time I was small. I had, of course, noticed by now that reality didn't conform to my mother's ideas.  
  
She saw him again at her favorite artists' bar downtown. She saw him at at a party near Santa Monica. Wherever she went she went, she complained, there he was, the goat man.  
  
I thought it was only coincidence, but one night at a performance space, near the pier, where we went to watch one of her friends recite poetry, I saw him too, a few rows behind us. He spent the whole time trying to catch her eye, but she refused to look at him. He waved at me and I waved back, low, so she wouldn't see me.  
  
After it was over, I wanted to talk to him, but she dragged me out fast. "Don't encourage him." She hissed.  
  
When he turned up at the annual publication party for 'The Poetic', I had to admit he was following her. It was outside, in an old hotel along the Strip. The women wore bare dresses, my mother like a moth in cream colored silk. I threaded my way to the food table, placing a few mini spring rolls on my paper plate, and there was Pete, piling his plate high with shrimp. He saw me and his eye swept the crowd for my mother. She was behind me drinking white wine and gossiping with Miles, the photo editor. She hadn't seen Pete yet. He started towards her and I was close behind.  
  
"Camille," Pete said. "I've been looking for you." He smiled. Her eyes flickered cruelly over his brown tie, his mustard colored shirt, uneven teeth, a piece of shrimp clutched in his chubby hand. "I've been thinking about you."  
  
"I'd rather you wouldn't." Mother said coolly. I felt her icy wind, but he didn't even seem to get a chill.  
  
"I have something for you." He held out a small white envolpe. "For you and Storm."  
  
I wondered how he knew my name and watched as she pulled two blue and white tickets out of the envolpe. "Just the concert." She told him. "No dinner, no dancing."  
  
"Agreed." He replied, but I could see he didn't believe her. He didn't know her yet. It was gamelan concert at the art museum. Now I knew why she accepted.  
  
How did he know all this about us? My name, where she worked, the exact right thing to propose? Had he hidden in the bushes outside our apartment? Bribed her friends, maybe?  
  
He was late the night of the concert. Forced to wait, my mother made small jerky movments with her arms and hands. We were waiting for him in the forecourt of the museum.  
  
"Late. How despicable. I should have known. He's probably off rutting in the fields with some other goats. Remind me never to make plans with quadrupeds."  
  
I noticed she didn't call it a 'date'. That, at least, comforted me. She still had on her work clothes, though she'd had time to change. Men admired her, smiled, and stared. She stared back, her blue eyes burning, un til they grew awkward and turned away. A tall balding man commented on how pretty I was, how my long blonde hair was like cornsilk, how much I looked like my mother. I started to thank him, but she pulled me away.  
  
" How many times must I tell you, Storm? Never say thank you when complimented." She scolded. How could I have forgotten? It was one of her biggest laws.  
  
I saw Pete across the plaza, heading towards us. He smiled, flashing the wide gap between his two front teeth. "Sorry I'm late. Traffic was murder."  
  
My mother turned away from him. Only peon's made excuses for themselves, she taught me. Never apologize, never explain.  
  
When the concert was over Pete asked my Mother and I out to eat.  
  
"I never eat." Mother snapped at him. I was hungry, but once my Mother took a position, she never wavered from it. So we went home, where I ate tuna out of a can and Mother wrote a poem about shadow puppets and the gods of chance. I tried to read some of it over her shoulder. Something about love and being guilty.  
  
She started to see him more and more as the months passed and fall faded to winter. I'd never seen my Mother like this. I thought about her list of laws. Never say thank you; never explain; never let a man stay the night. She was breaking all of them.  
  
In the mornings he would lay on her bed with her and they'd speak to me as I dressed for school, the room full of the scent of their lovemaking. I drew pictures of them together and practiced asking Pete if I could call him Dad.  
  
I had never had a father. I got up the nerve to ask Mother about him once, I must have been in the third grade. She had just picked me up from school and in class that day we had discussed fathers. I hadn't thought much about him before then.  
  
"Where's my father?"  
  
She downshifted the car irritably. "You have no father." She said.  
  
"Everyone has a father." I replied. "So where is he?"  
  
"Father's are irrelevent. Believe me, you're lucky. I know, I had a father. Just forget it." She turned on the radio and I never asked again.  
  
I found my birth certificate though, and under father it said 'Dalson, Lucas. No middle name.' I didn't know why I didn't have his last name or where he was from. I was to scared to ask. I found a picture a few years later, of the two them on the beach. She looked like a goddess in her long summer dress, and he was extremly handsome. They looked more like brother and sister than anything, but I knew who he was because it was written on the back of the photo.  
  
It was like I was blind and she was telling me 'sight doesn't matter. You're better off not seeing.' I started watching father's, in the stores, on the playground. I liked how they always seemed to know what to do. They were like docks, something you could always anchor to. If you had a father, you weren't drifting. I prayed Pete Greene would be that man.  
  
Then, something changed. As quickly as he came into our lives, he was gone. He stopped calling, cancelled dates. A tone I had never heard before crept into my Mother's voice. It was like the edge of a saw. I was always on eggshell's around her. She just snapped.  
  
"I should shave my head and paint my face with ashes." She told me.  
  
Her eyes were strange, circled dark like bruises, and her hair was greasy and lank. She lay in her bed, or stared at herself in the mirror. "How can I shed tears for a man that I never should have allowed to touch me in anyway?"  
  
She didn't go back to work. She wouldn't leave the darkened apartment, except to go down to the pool, where she sat for hours, staring into the warm water. I knew I was suppose to go to school, but I couldn't leave her alone, not like that. Traunt officers came to our door, but we never answered. The neibours, who hadn't seen us emerge for weeks, told them we moved. We both stayed indoors, eating all the canned food in the apartment, then, when that ran out, eating rice and oatmeal. I vowed I would never fall in love. I hoped Pete died a slow and painful death for what he was doing to my mother.  
  
A red moon rose downtown, red from the fires burning to the north and out in Malibu. It was early January, the season of fire and we were trapt in the heart of the burning landscape. Ashes floated in the pool. We sat on the roof in the burnt wind.  
  
"This ragged heart." Mother said, pulling at her kimono. "I should rip it out and bury it for compost."  
  
I wished I could touch her, but she was in her own isolation booth, like on Miss America. She couldn't hear me through the glass. I rubbed her back and then headed back to our apartment to sleep. If I had realized this was the last time she would have speak to me, I would've stayed with her all night.  
  
Mother was still sleeping when I woke up the next morning. I went into the kitchen and found a box of stale cereal to eat. After a while, I decided to check on her. The room was dark gray, with no light penatrating. It smelled stale. She had her arm flung over the pillow. Her mouth was open, but she was making no sound.  
  
"Mother?" I put my face right in hers. She smelled like sherry and something metiallic. I put my hand on her shoulder and shook her gently. She didn't move.  
  
"Mother?" She didn't do anything. The hair stood up on my arms and neck. I couldn't hear her breathing. "Mother?"  
  
I shook her again, but her head just flopped over. "Mother? Mom? Wake up! Please, wake up! Please!" I lifted her by her shoulders and let her drop. "Mother!!" I screamed in her face, hoping she would open her eyes, hoping she would tell me to stop yelling. I put my hands on her chest, feeling for her heartbeat, listening for her breathing. Nothing.  
  
I searched the bedside table, the floor. On the far side, I found an open bottle of pills and an empty bottle of sherry. The pills had spilled out onto the floor, small pink tablets. Butalan, the label said. Do not take with alcohol. Do not opperate heavy machinery.  
  
The sounds I was making were no longer even screams. I wanted to throw something into the eye of God. I threw the kleenex box. A brass bell. I knocked a lamp of the nighttable. I ripped the blinds off the windows and the room blinked bright with sunlight. I took a shoe from the foot of the bed and smashed it through the window. I cut my hand, but didn't even feel it. I picked up Mother's hair brush from her vanity and threw it like a baseball into the round mirror.  
  
I was exhausted and I couldn't find anything else to throw. I sat back down and took her hand. It was so cold. I put it against my hot, wet, cheek, trying to warm it up. I brushed her waist length, white blonde hair, the same shade and length as mine, away from her face.  
  
If only I had known, Mother. My beautiful, fucked up Mother. I lay my head on her chest, where there was no heartbeat. My face next to hers, breathing in the breath that was no longer there. I held her hands, so cold and chapped. I turned them over and kissed her palms. God, she was so pale. I picked up the squarish, white bottle of pills. It practically glowed in my hands. Now I saw this was not just a bottle, it was a doorway. A doorway out of your problems. All you had to do was crawl through the neck of the bottle and it was all over. You were done and you could cash in your chips. How could she do it? How could she?!  
  
She lay with her mouth forming a perfect 'O' on the blue pillowcase. I rubbed my face on the silkiness of her kimono, a kimono Pete had gotten her. I stared at it, hating the brightness of it, the cheery red. How could he buy her red? She hated red. Pete never really knew her, and yet, because of him, she was dead. She had left me, without even saying good bye. Just like Pete Greene never said goodbye to her. I was alone. 


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I only own the obivious characters.  
  
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Five Months later~  
  
I stepped off the train platform, searching for my Uncle Daniel (my Mother's older brother) and his wife, my Aunt Charlene. I had just traveled for nearly two days from L.A. to Castle Rock Oregon to live with them and there two boys: Billy (a year older than me) and Vern (three year's younger). I'd met them a couple of times, but hadn't seen them in nearly five years. I hoped they reconized me, but then again, I kind of hoped they didn't. Then maybe I could go back to California and live with some of my mother's friends like I had been, till all these arrangments for me to come live here had been made. I'd had my Sixteenth birthday in March, but nobody paid it any attention. I was gradually getting over the hump of my Mother's death.  
  
"Storm!" A man's voice called somewhere to my left. So much for going back to California. The man reached me, and I reconized him as my Uncle. Aunt Charlene and the boy's followed him. "Look at her Charlene! The spitting image of Camille!" He pulled me into a hug and a smelled the rich scent of cigars.  
  
"Oh, she's beautiful!" Aunt Charlene squealed. "Hello, Storm!" She envolped me and I nearly died of suffaction.  
  
"Um, hello." I tried to smile, but it came off as more of a smirk, I think. I tried to remember the things I had to planned to say. "It's nice of you to let me come live here." Lame, lame, lame.  
  
"Oh, sweetheart, don't think a thing about it!" Aunt Charlene told me, taking my hand and pulling toward their car.  
  
"Billy, get her things." Uncle Daniel command the his oldest son. Billy picked up my single suitcase.  
  
"This it?" He grunted.  
  
"Yeah." The only things I had bought were my Mother's blue, gauze dress, her poetry books, the picture of her and my father, my sketchpad and pencils, and my birth certificate, and about four outfits, including the one I had on.  
  
"That's all you brought, Storm?" Aunt Charlene asked. We were sitting in the car now, me in the backseat between Billy and Vern. "Tomorrow, we'll take you shopping, okay?"  
  
"Okay." Said my mouth. 'Oh Gee, I can't wait.' Said my brain. I could just imagine the clothes Aunt Charlene would dress me in. Skirt and sweater sets, saddle shoes, and bobby sox, just what I wanted to wear, let me tell you.  
  
I didn't speak much on the way to my new home. As, we drove through Castle Rock, Billy and Vern pointed out different places.  
  
"That's the high school. What grade will you be in, Storm?" Vern asked. "I'll be in the eight next year. Billy'll be a senior."  
  
"I'll be in the 11th." I told him. Billy nodded towards a small building on the main drag.  
  
"That's the Blue Point Dinner. Me and my friends hang out there. I'll introduce them to you later. You'll like 'em." Billy looked like he could really care less whether I liked his friends or not. I suspected he was only talking to me because his parents had filled him in on what happened and told him to be nice to me. He didn't look like the kind of guy who generally listened to his parents, what with his white tee shirt, ripped jeans, and greased back hairdo.  
  
"Um, that'd be nice I guess."  
  
We pulled up in front of the house just then and I immeditly fell in love with it. It was a two story white Victorian, with blue trim. I had never lived in a house before. Seriously. My Mother and I had lived all over the world: Mexico, Germany, Amstradam, Paris, but we always lived in apartments- never a house.  
  
"Here we are!" Uncle Daniel proclaimed. He smiled at me and I took the time to study him. He was tall with dark hair, like the boys, a little on the thin side. Aunt Charlene had strawberry blonde hair and green eyes. I thought she was very pretty, but not as beautiful as my mother had been. I felt my eyes fill with tears at the thought of her and willed them not to fall. It didn't work and they slid down my cheeks.  
  
"Hey! Storm's crying!" Vern exclaimed. Billy elbowed him hard in the ribs. "Ouch! Hey, that hurt Bill! Mom, he hit me!"  
  
"Hush now, Vern." Aunt Charlene commanded him. She took my arm. "Come along, honey. I'll show you to your room."  
  
She led me upstairs and into the bedroom at the end of the hall. Billy followed with my suitcase. The room was cute, all laces and frills, and I liked it. Mother would have ripped everything down and threw it in Aunt Charlene's face, but I wasn't my Mother. As this story progresses, I'll figure that out more and more. Anyway, I sat down on the pale pink bedspread and sniffled.  
  
"I think we'll just leave you to settle in, honey." Aunt Charlene told me. Billy sat my suitcase down. "I'll send one of the boy's up for you when lunch is ready."  
  
"Not me, Mom." Billy said. "I'm going over to Ace's for a while. Then me and the guy's might come back here later."  
  
"Oh, Billy, you know I don't like those boys............" Aunt Charlene's voice trailed off as they desended downstairs. I lay back on my bed. I guess I was more tired than I realized, because as soon as my head hit the pillow, I was asleep.  
  
~@~  
  
After lunch, Uncle Dan (as I had been instructed to call him) had headed into work. He was mill operator and had taken the morning off. Billy was still gone with his friends and Vern had taken off to play baseball with his friends. He invited me to go, but I declinded. Baseball? Me? I don't think so.  
  
So I had set off to explore. I looked through the house, and then made my way out to the very large back yard with my sketch book. There were a bunch of junk car's way in the back and a grove of tree's beyond that. I climbed on one of the car hoods and set to drawing the tree grove. I was so intent on it, that I didn't hear Billy and his friends until they were right up on me.  
  
"Hey Storm. What're you doing way back here?" Billy asked, trying to look at my drawing. I tilted it up so he couldn't see.  
  
"Just exploring. What are you doing?" I asked him. He looked surprised. I guess because this was the first sentence I had actually spoken to him since I arrived. I don't know,I was feeling comfortable in this place, like I had always lived here.  
  
"We always hang out back here." He nodded toward his friends, six tough looking guys and two girls that looked about my age. Billy introduced them to me. "Guy's this is Storm, my cousin. Storm, these are the guys: Ace, Vince, Charlie, Jack, Fuzzy, and Eyeball. And this is my girl, Valerie, and Vince's girl, Sandra."  
  
I giggled. The sound of it shocked me. I'd hardly laughed since that fateful morning four months ago. But come on! Eyeball? What kind of a name is that? I looked at the boy, slightly stocky, with curly brown hair, velvety brown eyes, and the cutest baby face.  
  
"Eyeball? Is that your real name, or is your entire family named after body parts?" I asked. He smirked.  
  
"Is Storm you're real name or is your entire family named after weather patterns?"  
  
"Sorry to disappoint you, Eyebrow, but that's my real name." I misnounced his name on purpose. The other guys looked at each other, their eyes widening in surprise. I guess, not to many girls, or people in general, stood up to this kid. He glanced at my sketch book, then grabbed it out of my hands. My blood boiled inside. Who the fuck did this guy think he was?  
  
"What's this stupid thing you keep drawing in? What are you an artist or somethin'?" He sneered. I pulled my book right back.  
  
"Don't you touch my stuff Eyesocket! I don't know who the hell you think you are, but keep you're goddamn hands to yourself!" I knew my not saying his name right was pissing him off. One of the other guys, Ace, I think, looked me over.  
  
"Damn girl. You got one hell of a mouth on you." His voice had a lilt to it, so I knew he wasn't offended by me telling off his friend. In fact, the only one who looked mad was Eyeball.  
  
"Thanks. I think." I don't know where my nerve had come from, and at the moment I didn't care. I guess it was a another stage of facing my mother's death. For the first couple of weeks, I'd had been almost catonic, not speaking at all, but now I was just angry, and this Eyeball, as he called himself, was just pissing me off even more. I took a deep breath, trying to settle myself. Valerie, Billy's girlfriend, a short, auburn haired girl, smiled.  
  
"I like this girl. She's got spunk!" She said. Sandra, the other girl, taller and with midnight black hair, but startling green eyes, laughed.  
  
"Don't be to upset, honey." She told me. "Cobra's bark's are worse than their bite."  
  
"Well, I sure as hell don't want them biting me!" I said. I didn't mean to be funny, but the girls laughed. They hopped up on the carhood beside me.  
  
"Billy said you was from California," Valerie said. "Tell us all about it!"  
  
So, as the guys did their thing, whatever that may be, I made friends with the girls. The were a little spacey, but really very nice. I noticed, however, that Eyeball kept giving me, well, the eye.  
  
"Why does he keep looking at me?" I whispered to Sandra.  
  
"Who?" I nodded towards Eyeball.  
  
"Oh," Valerie giggled. "Maybe he likes you, Storm. God, I love your name."  
  
"I might believe that he liked me if I hadn't just insulted him." I replied. "What's up with his name anyway?"  
  
"Oh, it's just a nickname. His real name is.....um, gosh, I don't remember!" Sandra said. "I know it start's an 'R' though. Randall? Raymond? Oh well, they call him 'Eyeball' because his right eye is sorta twitchy."  
  
"I've lived across the street from the Chambers family for nearly sixteen years, my entire life, and I know all about them." Valerie told me. " It's sad, really, because, Mrs. Chambers is really nice and so are the younger kids. Mr. Chambers though, he's a hard ass if I ever met one."  
  
"What'da mean?" I asked her, leaning forward. She lowered her voice, so Eyeball wouldn't hear, I guess.  
  
"Well, he spends most of his time out drinking, but when he is home he treats his family like shit. He's always hittin' on Mrs. Chambers and Chris, that's Eyeball's next younger brother. He pretty much ignores the three youngest kids, and Frank, the oldest, is in prison. But between Chris and Eyeball he has a right regular punching bag. More Chris, than Eyeball, but I've seen him turn up with some bad bruises." She said most of this in the same breath, so I really had to listen to catch it. I glanced at Eyeball. Maybe there was more to him than I first thought.  
  
As it grew steadly darker, Billy's friends left, till Eyeball was only one there. Billy offered to walk Valerie home, and to my surprise, Eyeball offered to walk me to the front porch. I guess he wasn't too mad.  
  
"Why?" I asked immeditly. Ever since Pete Greene, I've been a bit suspicious of the oppisite sex. Eyeball shrugged.  
  
"Just thought it'd be the nice thing to do." He said. "But, if you don't want me too, I'll go and you can stand here in the dark." He started to walk away and I stood there for about a nanosecond before catching up with him.  
  
"Wait, Eyeball!" I fell in step beside him.  
  
"Why're you here, Storm?" He asked. He flashed his brown eyes on me. "A girl like you shouldn't be stuck in Castle Rock. You should be Paris or something."  
  
"Been there. Done that." I replied, hoping to change the subject. I'd had fun that afternoon, and I certainly didn't want to talk about my Mother.  
  
"You've been to Paris? Paris, France?  
  
"Only one Paris that I know of, and yes I lived there a couple of times. Didn't you know ? I've been all over the world." I told him. He looked at me from the corner of his twitchy eye.  
  
"With your mom?"  
  
"Yep." I rubbed the toe of my shoe in the dirt. Why did he have to ask about her? Didn't he know?  
  
"So what happened to her?"  
  
"Are you always this nosy with girls?"  
  
He glanced at me again. "Yep." He was mocking me.  
  
"Don't patronize me, Eyeball Chambers. Besides, I thought you hated me, 'cause I made fun of your name."  
  
"How can I hate you? We just met. I don't even know you. " He smiled. We were now on the front steps. "But you could aplogize. That'd be I nice."  
  
I looked at him, then quoted my Mother. "Only peon's make excuses for themselves. Never apoligize, never explain."  
  
"Well, that's one way to go about it." He remarked. His eye twitched again.  
  
"What's your real name?" I heard myself asking. He shrugged.  
  
"Eyeball is the only name I like to go by." I rolled my eyes and he grinned. "Besides my real name's really dorky. Nobody calls me by it, except for my Mom. Oh, and school teachers, but they all hate me."  
  
"Why's that?"  
  
"Didn't Val and Sandra tell ya? I'm a Chambers. Everyone hates me. I'm surprised they didn't tell you. They told everything else about me."  
  
I blushed. "Only because I asked." He leaned over the porch railing and looked up at the dark sky.  
  
"Why ya so curious to know 'bout me?"  
  
"I'm not. I just...................." My voice trailed off. He shrugged.  
  
"Whatever. I better go. I wanna get 'fore my old man does." He headed out to his old, beat up car. "Thank's for the company, Storm. See ya around."  
  
"Bye." I sat on the porch swing and watched him drive away. About three minutes later, Billy came bounding up the steps.  
  
"Eyeball just leave?" He asked, sitting down beside me.  
  
"Yeah, he did."  
  
"I think he likes you, Storm." Billy scratched the back of his leg. I looked at him.  
  
"What makes you think that?"  
  
"Oh, I don't know, maybe 'cause he couldn't keep his eyes off you this afternoon. Anyway, he doesn't have a girlfriend. You should go for it."  
  
"Billy, I just got here. I'm not excatly looking for romance." That reminded me. "Hey, did you tell them about my Mother?"  
  
"Just that she died. I didn't tell 'em how or anything. Figured that wasn't my place."  
  
I was surprised at how considerate he was being. "Thanks."  
  
"No sweat."  
  
Aunt Charlene poked her head out the door. "Come on you two, it's time to eat."  
  
I ate supper, then hung out with Billy and Vern (which mostly consisted of them fighting) I tried not to think about Eyeball, but you know what? I just couldn't help it. 


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I only own the obivious characters. Thanks for all my nice reviews! You guys are so sweet!  
  
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I guess you could say I settled into to life in Castle Rock fairly well over the few weeks. Aunt Chalene did take me clothes shopping, but she mostly bought me summer clothes. You know, shorts, tee shirts, tank tops, summer dresses, the whole bit. It was strange, buying these clothes. With my mother, I mostly wore long skirts and bohiemian tops. When I dressed in the clothing Aunt Charlene bought me, I almost felt normal. She also bought me toiletries. No one had ever paid attention to me before, not like Aunt Charlene. She asked me a million questions that afternoon. Did I want lemon shampoo or strawberry? Did I need sensitive soap for my skin? Was the coconut scent to strong?  
  
I did finally agree to play baseball with Vern's friends. Well, I didn't really play, I watched. Actually I sat in the stands and drew pictures of the pitcher, a blonde haired, blue eyed boy, named Chris Chambers. He was Eyeball's younger brother and for some reason, I was drawn to him. He had this energy that I couldn't explain. I drew the curve of his left arm as he threw the ball to the batter.  
  
"Whattcha drawlin?" A high pitched voice startled me. It was Vern's best friend. He had been around the house a few times. What was his name? Eddie? Teddy? That's it! Teddy! I showed him my picture. "Hey, that's good! It really looks like Chris."  
  
"Thanks." I told him. He sat down beside me and held out his Coke-Cola bottle.  
  
"Wanna drink? I swear I don't backwash."  
  
" Sure. Why aren't you playing ball?" I asked him, taking the soda bottle.  
  
"Aw, I'm not in the mood, I guess. So, hey, is it true you hang with the Cobra's sometimes?" He asked, cocking an eyebrow.  
  
"Once or twice. Why?" I looked into his eyes, a very pretty brown color, but hidden behind his thick glasses.  
  
"Chris said his brother talks about you at home." He smiled. "He must like you, Storm."  
  
"What makes you say that?"  
  
"Well, how could he not? You're pretty enough to be a model or somethin'." He blushed a deep red color. "Um, I mean..."  
  
I laughed. "It's okay, Teddy, I know what you meant." I took another sip of his sugary sode.  
  
We didn't speak much the rest of the afternoon, but we did share another Coke. I finished my drawing of Chris and started one of Teddy, with a ciggerate poking between his lips. When the boys were done playing ball, I told Vern to go ahead on home, I'd be there later. Then I caught up to Chris.  
  
"Chris, hey, wait!" I walked beside him.  
  
"Hey Storm. What's up?" He smiled at me and I noticed his top molar was slightly crooked.  
  
"Well, Teddy Duchamp said that you told him that your brother talks about me, so I was wondering-" I stopped because Chris's normally sweet face had turned cold.  
  
"Look, my brother and I have a mutual hate for each other and if you think I'm gonna be some kind of go between for you, you've got another think coming." He sped up a bit and I stood rooted to the ground with shock. What was that all about?  
  
"Chris!" I called. "Wait, that's not what I meant!" I jogged to keep up with him. "I was just wondering what he said about me is all. I don't want you to be a go between."  
  
"Oh." His face relaxed. "Oh, well, he said you was from California and that you'd been to France. Oh yeah, and that you were pretty."  
  
I felt myself flush. "He said I was pretty?" Chris winked.  
  
"Yeah, he did. So, is that all you wanted?"  
  
"Yeah. You mind if I walk the rest of the way to your house with you?" I asked, hoping my real reason wouldn't shine through. Unfortanly, it did.  
  
"I don't care, but my brother's probably not home." Chris said slyly. I felt my face heat up again. "You know, I've never seen a girl blush as much as you. We've been talking for maybe seven minutes and you've already blushed, like, twice. What's up with that?" I giggled.  
  
"I hate it when I blush. I look the a blonde tomatoe."  
  
"You do, actually." We were now walking up the road to his house. I could see the Cobra's sitting on the front porch and my heart quickened. Chris chewed his lip. "Look's like you're in luck, Storm."  
  
He reached the front door, careful not to notice the glares Eyeball and his friends were sending him. He turned around and smiled at me again. "Thanks walking with me, Storm. Maybe I'll see you around."  
  
"You're welcome. See you." I smiled back at him and gave a small wave.  
  
Billy looked from Chris's retreating back to me. "What's up with you two?" He asked. I shrugged.  
  
"Nothing. We're friends, is all. I was just walking him home. You guys got a problem with that?" I asked, raising my eyebrows as I sat down on the steps next to Charlie. All I got for an answear was a few muttered grunts. "Whatever." I flipped open my sketch book and they went back to whatever conversations they'd been having.  
  
I was halfway through a sketch of Ace, when I noticed Charlie looking over my shoulder. "That's a good likness." He said, smiling at me. I shrugged my shoulders and went back to my drawing. But, I felt his eyes on me for the rest of the afternoon. Around 4:30, Billy stood up.  
  
"I'm going to Valerie's. Can you get home okay, Storm?" He asked. I like the way that felt, the way he treated me like I was his little sister or something.  
  
"I can walk her." Charlie said quickly.  
  
"Charlie, your house is in the oppisite direction." Eyeball told him. "Dumbass."  
  
I felt a little sorry for Charlie. "Of course you can walk me home." I glanced at Eyeball, to see how he took this. I couldn't help it, three people had told me he liked me. His face didn't show any emotion, but his eyes flashed at Charlie. I think Charlie noticed this too, because he looked at his sneakers. "Come on Charlie."  
  
As we headed towards the house, Charlie kept glancing at me and opening his mouth like he wanted to ask me something.  
  
"What is it Charlie?" I asked finally. He took a deep breath.  
  
"Doyouwannagooutwithmetomorrow?" He asked.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Do..do, you wanna go out with me tomorrow night?" His face turned red. "Just as a friend, I mean."  
  
"Um, ok, I guess so." I expected to feel a little more excited about my first date. I wonderd if Eyeball had asked me, how I would feel.  
  
"Great." He said. "I've been trying to ask you out for a week. Vince told me if I got up the nerve, I could borrow his car. I know how much you like it."  
  
I smiled. "That's sweet." Vince drove this '52, blue Studabaker, that I was abosolutly in love with.  
  
Charlie's face turned red again. He may have been a tough guy, but he didn't have much experience with girls. "So, uh, what're ya doin' tomorrow?"  
  
"I'm going shopping to Sandra's over in Durham." I replied. Out of the three of us girls, Sandra was the only one with her own car.  
  
When we reached the front porch, I turned to Charlie. "Thank's for walking me. I'll see you tomorrow, okay?"  
  
He smiled. "Yeah. Yeah, I'll see you tomorrow. I'll be by to get you about six, okay?"  
  
"Alright." I watched as he walked down the street, then I went into the house.  
  
Aunt Charlene was cooking dinner, meatloaf it smelled like, and Uncle Dan was reading the paper. "How was your day sweetheart?" Aunt Charlene asked.  
  
"Fine." I told her. "Um, Charlie Hogan asked me out. Is it okay if I go?"  
  
She glanced at Uncle Dan. "I don't know. What do you think Daniel?"  
  
Uncle Dan snapped his paper. "Oh, I think it'll be alright. But, If he tries anything, Storm, you tell me."  
  
I thought that was kinda strange, but whatever. I felt weird. Charlie liked me. He LIKED me. And he had the guts to actually do something about it. Unlike some other twitchy eyed Cobra I knew of.  
  
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Ok, this is the third chapter. Review PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!! 


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: Fuckers. fuckers, fuckers! How's it going ladies? Hey, y'all ever notice no dudes write in this section, only us kick ass chicks! Fuckin' right doggie! (Please excuse all dirty words) I only own Storm and maybe a few others. I'm eating the most delcious strawberries, and there mine, all mine!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Whoo!!!! Ok,on with the story! Oh, just a small note: This story takes place in 1961.  
  
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Billy wasn't too thrilled when he found out that Charlie had asked me on a date. "I can't believe he asked you out!"  
  
"Calm down, Billy. It's not that big of a deal!" I told him. "It's just a friendly date."  
  
Billy snorted. "Yeah right. If he tries to get fresh, tell me and I'll beat his ass." I rolled my eyes.  
  
"I don't think that'll be necessary."  
  
"You don't know Charlie like I do. I wish you had a way to call me if you needed help! Why don't they have phones you can carry in your car?!"(A/n~ Don't we have something that now?) He sat down hard on my bed. It was after supper (I was right, it was meatloaf.) Billy and I were hanging out in my room, sharing a container of strawberries.  
  
"Jesus, Bill, break my bed why don't you?"  
  
"Don't be insolent, Storm." He told me. I giggled.  
  
"Ohh, a big word. Were'd you learn that at? They don't have words like that in Playboy, do they?" I asked innocently. Billy smirked.  
  
"Shut the fuck up." He rubbed my head and ate the last strawberry.  
  
"Hey! I was gonna eat that!"  
  
He opened his mouth, showing me the half eaten strawberry. "You can still have it."  
  
"Ew! You're disgusting!"  
  
Billy grinned. "Thanks, I know."  
  
___________________________________________________________________  
  
"So, where is Charlie taking you?" Valerie asked me the next moring. The three of us were crammed in the front seat of Sandra's pink car.(A/N~ Imagine the car that the Pink Ladies drive in 'Grease'. It looks a little like that.)  
  
"I don't know, I didn't ask." I replied, feeling stupid.  
  
"Well, me and Val are coming over to help you get ready." Sandra said. "You have to look PERFECT for your first date, even if it is with Charlie Hogan."  
  
"Storm, I thought you liked Eyeball." Valerie lit a ciggerate.  
  
"I never said that. Beside's Charlie asked me first."  
  
"What if he ask's you to be his steady? What will you say?" Valerie rolled down her window and flicked some ashes in to the wind.  
  
"Probably no. I don't really like him like that. I mean, he's sweet and evrything, but no."  
  
"What about *Eyeball*?" Sandra teased as we pulled into the shopping center.  
  
"I would fuck him." I didn't say.  
  
"He's cute." I did say. "But lets not talk about him anymore, okay? I came to shop." I held up the money Uncle Dan had given me that morning.  
  
As the day pogressed, I grew increasingly nervous about my date. The girls helped me pick out a cute dark blue tank top and a pair of white capris.  
  
"The top brings out your eyes." Val told me.  
  
"You have to get these sandals!" Sandra comanded, holding up a pair of those lace up kind.  
  
By the time six rolled around, I was primped and made up. My hair hung to my waist and my face had so much make up on it, if I cried there would be a mudslide. Uncle Dan had decided to play my Father and 'talk' to Charlie before we left. I asked him to keep the embarresment to a minimal. I don't think he understood. Everyone(plus a few extras, like Vern's four friends) was in the living room as I made my desent. Aunt Charlene clasped her hands together.  
  
"Oh, Storm, you look beautiful! Doesn't she Daniel?"  
  
"I guess Uncle Dan had given Charlie 'the talk', because he smiled. "You look lovely."  
  
"Yeah, Storm. You look great." Gordie Lachance, a cute, doe eyed boy and friend of Vern's, told me.  
  
"Thank you." I said. Charlie grinned.  
  
"Ready to go?" He asked.  
  
"Yeah." I smiled and waved at everyone as we walked out the front door.  
  
Once we were in the car, I looked at him. "So, where exactly are we going?"  
  
"Shit! I forgot to tell you, didn't I?"  
  
"Um, yeah, you did."  
  
Charlie downshifted. "Well, I thought we'd see a movie, maybe get something to eat. Oh yeah, I hope you don't mind, I told the guys we'd meet 'em later. There's a party up at The Point. Is that cool?"  
  
I shrugged. "I guess. What movie did you wanna see?"  
  
"Well, how about Blue Hawaii? You know, with Elvis?" He asked.  
  
"Okay."  
  
Well, let me just say this: the food we ate was good but,the movie sucked. I didn't wanna tell Charlie, but about half way throught it, he turned to me.  
  
"This movie fucking sucks."  
  
"I think so too." I told him. "Wanna go?"  
  
"Yeah." Once we were back in the car, he asked. "Where to now?"  
  
"What time is this party suppose to start?"  
  
Charlie grinned "Right about now."  
  
When we got to The Point, I discovered it wasn't actually a party, it was just the Cobra's, Val, Sandra, and a blonde girl I didn't know. She was introduced to me as Alana, some new floozy of Ace's.  
  
"Well, I see you got my car back in one piece, anyway." Vince said, passing Charlie and I beers. I sniffed mine. I had never drank a beer before. Eyeball sat down on Ace's carhood next to me.  
  
"Never had a beer before?" He asked, a sexy lilt to his voice. I shook my head.  
  
"Nope. My Mother only drank white wine."  
  
"Take a drink. You'll like it. Scout's honor. I can say that, because in the second grade, I was a boy scout." He smiled. "Okay, no I wasn't, but drink it anyway."  
  
"Maybe just a sip." I said.  
  
Three hours and six beers later(AN~ Six beers can be consumed in three hours. I know, because I've done it)~  
  
"Dude, we screwed, and you were nude." I sang to Fuzzy, who was as drunk as I was. We swayed around in a circle. "Whoa, don't do that!"  
  
"You did it, Storm!" He said, slurring his words. "You slung us around. Not I! I mean, not me."  
  
"Oops, sorry." I giggled.  
  
"Fuzzy, will you get your fucking hands off my date?!" Charlie, also drunk, asked. "How, the hell can I get laid with you gropin' her?"  
  
"Not a chance, fuck face." I told him. "Even when I was sober, not a chance."  
  
Fuzzy transfered me too Charlie and I giggled again. "We're a pack of Llama's! We go left! We go right!"  
  
Eyeball, who was simi sober, looked at me. "They have Llama's at the circus, you know. Me and Ace rode one, once. Remeber Ace?"  
  
"Um, yeah, when we was like two." Ace said, pausing between his make out session with Alana. "When the circus comes back to Castle Rock, we should ride them again, Eyeball."  
  
I walked to Eyeball on wobbly legs. "I wanna ride too! Can I?" His face turned red, but he grinned.  
  
"Sure you can. You can ride anything you want." He told me. I realized what he meant.  
  
"Shut the fuck up, you perv. That's not what I meant."  
  
"Oh shit. Well, alright, your choice." He wrapped his arms around me from behind and I turned around to face him.  
  
"You're so sweet." I kissed the tip of his nose. Then I passed out.  
  
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Ok, I would like to give a quick review on what me(Ellie), my best friend (Jessica) and my little sister(Christina) said as we watched 'Stand By Me' for the millionth time this weekend.  
  
First time Richard Dreyfuss was onscreen:  
  
Jessica: Oh, he's hot.  
  
Me: Shut the fuck up!  
  
Christina: Isn't that the dude from 'Jaws'?  
  
First time Billy and Charlie are onscreen:  
  
Jessica: Dude, Billy's fine. I'd fuck him.  
  
Me: Please, Eyeball is SO MUCH HOTTER!!!  
  
Christina: No way! Chris all the way!!!  
  
When Ace and Eyeball are onscreen:  
  
Jessica: What the fuck kind of name is 'Ace'?  
  
Me; Eyeball, come to Ellie!  
  
Christina: Dude, those guys are like one hundred fucking years old.  
  
The train scene:  
  
Jessica: Dude, that happened to me and Cory (her older brother) once. Because this one time, at band camp...........  
  
Me: Run Forrest run!!!!  
  
Christina: I'm hungry. Where the hell's that freaking pizza we ordered?  
  
The leeches:  
  
Jessica: Get naked, get naked!  
  
Me: Chris looks good without a shirt.  
  
Christina: ***can't speak, because her mouth is full of pizza.***  
  
The race between the Cobra's:  
  
Jessica: Looks like us, Ell!  
  
Me; You let 'em beat ya, you cock knocker! AAAAAAA!  
  
Christina: What was the point of that?  
  
The fight thingy between the boys and the Cobra's:  
  
Jessica: Go, fight, win! Go, fight, win! ***starts singing school fight song***  
  
Me: Dude, I would have a threesome with Eyeball and Elijah Wood. Ahh, the three 'E's: Ellie, Eyeball, and Elijah.  
  
Christina: Where's the rest of that pizza? 


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: Well, here we are, back again for another chapter. I know in the book, it says the 3 youngest Chambers' children are named Sheldon, Emery, and Deborah, but I don't like those names, so I changed them. Also, the song 'Michelle' is an old Frank Sinatra song, but it was redone by The Beatles in the sixties. Alright, you know the drill. Onward!!!!!  
  
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Unfortunetly, the first time I chose to get drunk was on a Saturday night, thus meaning the next day was Sunday, church day. For the past few Sunday's I'd gotten up early with Billy and left before Aunt Charlene roped us into going. On this paticular morning, the both of us sick with hangovers, we had to go.  
  
So there I was, sitting in the Castle Rock Baptist Church, fanning myself with a Sunday School book. Billy sat on the left side of me, grumbling quietly so Aunt Charlene wouldn't hear him. Vern sat on my right, doodling in a songbook.  
  
"Stop that!" I hissed, pulling it away from him.  
  
I was in a bad mood, even though I knew we weren't the only one made to come. Eyeball sat in the last pew, looking half asleep, with his mother, Chris, and three youngest siblings: Jacob, age ten, Rudy, age six, and the only girl child, Ashleigh, age three. I could also see Gordie Lachance and his parents, Teddy Duchamp and his mother, Fuzzy, his parents, and fourteen year old twin sisters, Amelia and Leslie, Vince, his younger brother, Victor, and their grandparents, who they lived with.  
  
I waved low at Eyeball, and he sat up straight, then waved back at me, a trace of a grin on his face. His mother asked him something just then, and he took Rudy's hand, leading him off to the men's room. I turned back toward the front, and tried to focus on the preacher, Brother Addison. I didn't tell anyone this, but this was my first time going to church. My mother didn't believe in organized religion, so despite my pounding headache and churning stomach, this was fasinating for me. I listened to the sermon and sang the hymms, but I was glad when we rose to sing the final song.  
  
"Blessed Jesus, hold my hand, I need thee every hour. Through this pilgrim land, protect me by thy saving power. Here my feeble plea's, oh Lord, look down on me. I need thy light to guide me day and night, blessed Jesus hold my hand." As the last notes of the song rang out, people started to leave.  
  
I walked out behind Billy, clutching the back of his shirt. We ran into Eyeball, holding Ashleigh, right outside the door.  
  
"Fancy finding you here, Chambers." Billy said. Eyeball rolled his eyes and shifted Ashleigh to the other hip.  
  
"Yeah, well, Mama told me if I didn't come, she'd hide my keys." He said. "You guys didn't wake up soon enough to get away, huh?" I grinned, glad my headache was starting to ease up.  
  
"Something like that." We stood there conversing for a few more minutes, when Vince and Fuzzy walked up.  
  
"Hey guys." Vince said. "My Granparents and my brother are going over to Chamberlain to visit my aunt this afternoon. You guys wanna come over?"  
  
"I do." I said. Eyeball glanced at me, handed Ashleigh to Chris, who had just walked out the door, and nodded.  
  
"Me too." He said.  
  
Fuzzy rolled his eyes. "Big fucking surprise."  
  
"Fuzzy, it's a sin to cuss in front of a church!" Billy told him. "And I'm coming too. So lets go."  
  
After checking with Aunt Charlene (this had been my idea, Billy was rearing to go with out even telling her) we headed off to Vince's. Thankfully, he had brought his car. Vince lived out on the outskirts of Castle Rock, and it would have been nearly a twenty minute walk. I sat squashed in the backseat between Fuzzy and Eyeball. Vince turned on the radio, fiddled with the dial, and finally found a station.  
  
"Please help me I'm fallin' in love with you. Close the door to temptation, don't let me walk through. Turn away from me darlin', I'm begging you to. Please help me I'm fallin' in love with you."  
  
Eyeball sang along with the song under his breath, so no one could hear him. No one but me, that is. I was surprised at how good his voice was, a deep baratone. I felt his eyes on me and felt my face flush once again. How could he find me pretty? Wasn't my face to round and my lips to big? I had gotten lustful looks beofre, but when Eyeball Chambers looked at me, that gleam wasn't in his eye. When he looked at me, I felt like the only person in the room.  
  
"Storm!" I looked up from my thought. Fuzzy was pushing the front seat up for me to get out. "We're here."  
  
"Oh." I climbed out of the car slowly and followed the others into the house. I'd been there before, but not inside. It was nice, a little old fashioned, though. Vince went into the kitchen to call the other Cobra's and the rest of us went up to his room.  
  
When the other guys arrived, I felt a little left out. Usually, Val and Sandra were there, or I had my sketch book, but I'd left my book at home, Val was sick (probably with a hangover, she'd drank more than the rest of us the night before) and Sandra went to visit her grandmother in the nursing home. So I just curled up in the blue armchair Vince had stuck in the corner and lost myself in my own thoughts. I must have been pretty out of it, because it took me ten minutes to realize that the conversation had stopped and everyone was looking at me. Then, I realized I was humming. I stopped immeaditly.  
  
"Sorry." I told them.  
  
"What was that song you were humming?" Ace asked. I chewed my lip, thinking.  
  
"It's called 'Michelle.' My mother used to sing it. It's French." I told them.  
  
"You know all the words?" Vince asked.  
  
"Yes." I said slowly. I didn't like where this was headed. If I sang that song, I would surely think of my mother and I didn't want to cry in front of these guys. Besides, my singing voice sounds like a dying cat.  
  
"Will you sing it for us?" Charlie asked. I shook my head.  
  
"Um, no."  
  
"Please?" Eyeball asked. Alright, I know I said I wouldn't sing, but I couldn't resist that!  
  
"Alright, but just a part of it." I told them.  
  
"So you're gonna sing?" Fuzzy asked. I rolled my eyes.  
  
"No, I'm gonna do shadow puppets!" I said sarcastically, cupping my right palm and putting the first two fingers of my left hand in it. "See, an elephant eating peanuts? Yes, I'll sing a part of it! I just said that!"  
  
I started slowly still feeling weird about this. I mean, how often to you sing to a room full of guys, espcially guy's like the Cobra's?  
  
"Michelle, ma belle  
  
Sont des mots qui vont tres bien ensemble  
  
Tres bien ensemble  
  
Michelle, ma belle"  
  
They were quiet while I sang the words. "What does that mean?" Jack asked. I smiled.  
  
"It means, 'My Michelle,I love you, I love you.That's all I want to say until I find a way, I will say the only words I know you'll understand. My Michelle.'" I smiled again, and brushed back my tears. "Um, where's the bathroom?" I asked Vince.  
  
"Down the hall, last door to the right." He replied.  
  
I hurried out of the room, cursing myself for being so stupid. I felt like an idiot now. Eyeball probably thought I was just a silly little girl, crying like I was, but I couldn't stop. I sat on the closed toilet lid, sobbing my heart out, when a knock on the door nearly scared me to death.  
  
"Storm" Eyeball's voice sounded through the door. "Are you okay? Can I come in?" He opened the door slowly and saw my crying. "Hey, what's this?" I just sobbed harder. He took my into his arms and I cried on his shoulder. I knew I was snotting up his shirt, but I didn't care. He lifted my red, puffy face. "What's the matter?"  
  
"I m-miss my M-mother." I told him. He looked concerned, but not surprised.  
  
"What happened to her?" He asked. I knew I had to tell him.  
  
"She k-killed herself, because her boyfriend l-left her."  
  
"Oh. Well, you know, shit like that happens sometimes." He leaned down to whisper in my ear. "You know what?"  
  
"W-what?"  
  
"I'm not glad your mother did what she did, but I'm thankful to her. Otherwise, I never would have met you." He held me even tighter and I cried even harder. "Oh yeah, and my real name is Richard."  
  
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Aww, that's so sweet!!!! Review please!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: Back again? Oh, I just love my reviewers so much!!!!! You all rule!!!! Just a couple notes about this chappie, kay? First: Ace's Nana is based on Sophia from 'The Golden Girls'. I was watching that show earlier, as it's one of my favorites, and I told myself,"Sophia acts like Ace Merrill." Then I thought, "What the fuck? He mentions his grandmother in the movie, how if she lives with his family? I haven't seen anything like that before." Note # 2: I know what happens between Eyeball and Ocean is simalar to what happens between Toby and Chris in Aleka's story 'I'll Stand by you', but I swear thats not where I got the idea of it! I'm not trying to be a copycat. Anyway, it's only simalar, not the same. Lastly: Any songs in this chapter are not owned by me!!!! Is that it? I believe so. Now, on to the story!!!!  
  
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"Are you serious, Storm? You've never been to a barbecue before?" Billy asked me, as we walked to Ace's house, heading for my first ever barbecue. Ace didn't exactly seem the type of guy to host a barbecue, but from the way the others spoke, he did it all the time.  
  
"Serious as a heartattack." I replied.  
  
It had been nearly a month since my little eppisode with Eyeball in the bathroom. I was still embarrassed about the whole thing. I'd apoligized for it and he said it was cool, but I still felt weird. We still hung out though, and he had opened up to me about his life a little bit more. I, in return, told him the whole thing with Pete Greene and my Mother. The thing was, after all that I was still uneasy around him, and now here I was, going to Ace's house, where I would spend the entire afternoon with Eyeball. I'd been to Ace's a couple of times, so I knew his family fairly well, except for his father, whom I had met only once, and his older sister, Gail, that I'd never met, because she was away at school. According to Ace, she had been an excellent student and had a scholorship to college. She was in Europe this summer, with some program from school.  
  
Aside from Mr. Merrill and Gail, there was Mrs. Merrill, Ace's younger sister, Corrine, and Mrs. Hammlin, Ace's grandmother, who was simply dubbed 'Nana' by all of us kids. She was a crazy old woman, having suffered a stroke a few years ago that damaged the part of her brain that controlled what came out of her mouth. Some of the stuff she came up with, it was a riot just to listen to her. Nana had come to America from Sicily when she was just seventeen. She met Ace's grandfather in New York City, and they moved to Oregon and settled in Castle Rock. She always had a story to tell anout 'the old country'. Even though Ace would never admit it, I could tell he loved Nana very much.  
  
"I just can't believe that!" Billy exclaimed as we crossed Main Street. I rolled my eyes, something that had become a bit of my trademark.  
  
"You didn't know my Mother well, Bill, but you knew enough of her to see what kind of woman she was. We didn't go to barbecues, we went to gamlan concerts."  
  
"What the fuck is a gamlan concert?"  
  
"Something to complicated for you to understand. I wouldn't have time to explain it anyway, 'cause we're here." The two of us bounded up the front steps and knocked on the door. Nana answered. She was so short, that I had too look down at her and I only stood 5'3! She had curly white hair and dark complected skin. "Hello Nana!"  
  
"Hello Cloud." She said, opening the door wider so we could come in.  
  
"Um, her name's Storm, Nana." Billy corrected.  
  
"Fine. The other kids are outback. I can't believe that jackass grandson of mine invited that little hussy here. What's her name? Llama?" Nana lead the way to the back porch.  
  
"You mean Alana?" I asked. Nana nodded.  
  
"That's the one." When we reached the back porch, she look over Ace's shoulder as he stood barbecueing some ribs. "Great, ribs. Why don't you just kick the dentures out of my mouth, John?"  
  
"Nana, I've asked you not to call me John. It's Ace." He rolled his eyes.  
  
"Why?That's not the name your parents gave you. Not that John is so great, either. If I'd had my way, you'd have been named Alfonzo." She told him. I guess Ace choose to ignore that, because he didn't answear.  
  
I looked around to see who all was there. Apperently, Billy and I were the last to arrive. I sat down between Sandra and Val.  
  
"I love Nana." Sandra giggled "She is SO FUNNY!" I smiled.  
  
"I know. She called me 'Cloud' earlier." I told them. Val leaned toward me.  
  
"Oh my God, you should have heard her before you guys got here! She was telling Ace one of her stories, something about pepperoni swimming upstream. It was hilarious."  
  
"Pepperoni isn't a fish!" I said. Val grinned.  
  
"I know. The jist of it was, she thinks Alana's a slut. What that has to do with swimming pepperonie, we may never know." I giggled. I guess the sound of my laughter drew Eyeball's attention, because he stared at me.  
  
"Ohhh." Sandra said. "Look's like Eyeball's in looooove." I smacked her arm.  
  
"Shut up, we're just friends." I told the two of them. They just laughed harder. "We are!"  
  
"Sure you are. I used to say the same thing about me and Billy." Val said. "And look at us now!" I just shook my head, but I was grateful when Ace annouced that the food was done. I loaded my plate and sat down on a wicker swing.  
  
"Hey." Eyeball said, sitting next to me. We both ignored the knowing looks our friends were sending us. "You mad at me or something?"  
  
"Why makes you think that?"  
  
"You ain't said a word to me since you got here." He pouted. "I thought you was mad."  
  
"No, I was just busy talking to Sandra and Val."  
  
"What about?" He asked. I'd die before I told him. So I just shrugged.  
  
"You know, just girl stuff." He arched an eyebrow.  
  
"Meaning......................"  
  
"Meaning nothing that concerns you. So drop it okay?"  
  
"Okay, ya don't have to bite my head off. Jeez, Storm." He turned back to the other conversation.  
  
"I'll be glad when Junior adds on the addition to the back of the house." Mrs. Merrill was saying. "That way when Gail comes home, she and Corrinne don't have to share a room. I'm glad it's not like when I was young, and all four of us kids shared a bed."  
  
"Please." Nana retorted. "In Sicily, four in a bed is a treat. It means half you family is away. I shared a bed with my two brothers till I was fifteen. I was briefly engaged to one of them for a short while, but that another story."  
  
Ace's face turned red and I stiffled a laugh. God, the shit that woman came up with!  
  
__________________________________________________________________  
  
I had a good time the rest of the evening, and it was nearly 9:30 before we got home and I was exhausted.. It had started to rain, so Ace took us home, stopping to pick up Vern, who had spent the day at Teddy's house. Aunt Charlene and Uncle Dan were over in Durham. Aunt Charlene's sister. was in the hospital and they went to visit her. They'd be gone till the next day.  
  
"Oh, I'm so tired!" I told Billy. "I'm taking a shower, then I'm going to bed. What about you guys?"  
  
"I'll probably take a shower after your done." Billy said. Vern shrugged.  
  
"I guess I'll watch TV."  
  
The hot shower felt so good, I didn't want to get out, but if I used up all the hot water, Billy'd have my ass. I dried off slowly, squeezed the excess water out of my hair, and pulled a my pajama's, a pair of flannel shorts and an old white tee shirt that Billy gave me.  
  
"Alright Bill, you can get in now!" I told him.  
  
"Okay." He exited his bedroom, carrying his clean clothes.  
  
Once, I was in my room, I snuggled under the warm blankets. I didn't usually go to bed this early, but I was so tired. I fell asleep almost immeaditly.  
  
Plunk! Plunk!  
  
I sat up quickly. What was that noise? I looked at my clock. It read 2 a.m.  
  
Plunk!  
  
There it was again! Cautiously as possible, I looked out my window. Sheets of rain were pouring down. I could just barely make out someone standing in the side yard. I squinted. It was Eyeball! I pushed my window open.  
  
"Eyeball, what the hell are you doing down there?"  
  
"Storm! Thank God! Let me in, please!"  
  
"Okay, come to the front door." I hurried downstairs to let him in. When he stepped into the light, I gasped. Not only was he sopping wet, but his nose was bleeding, his lip was cut, he had a huge bruise blooming on his cheek, and what looked like the beggining of a black eye. "Oh my God! What happened to you?"  
  
"My old man. He drug me out of bed because I parked my car in his spot." He said, touching his eye. "I got away from him fast as I could and ran all the way over here."  
  
"In the rain?! You're house is nearly two miles from here! Why didn't you drive?"  
  
"I didn't have time to grab my keys." I eyed his clothing.  
  
"You better get out of those wet clothes. You'll get sick."  
  
"What am I suppose to wear?" He asked. "I can't walk around naked, you know."  
  
"I know. Here take off your shoes and socks. Let's go upstairs, and I'll get you some of Billy's clothes. You can take a shower, if you want. Are you hungry? I'll make you something to eat."  
  
"Yeah, that'd be nice."  
  
"Which one? The food or the shower?" I teased him. He grinned, then winced, bring his hand to his busted lip.  
  
"Both."  
  
I sneaked quietly into Billy's room and over to his dresser. I pulled out a clean shirt, some sweatpants, clean underwear, and a pair of socks. "Here you go." I gave them to Eyeball. "Let me get you a towel and washcloth. Oh, yeah and you can use my shampoo. It's the lemon scent."  
  
"Thanks,Storm. Really, I mean it."  
  
"It's no big deal. Hey, what do you want to eat?" I asked. He shrugged.  
  
"Just a sandwhich, if thats okay."  
  
"Sure. Turkey okay?"  
  
"Um, yeah, it's fine."  
  
I left him to take his shower and headed down to the kitchen to make his sandwhich and pour him a glass of milk. My head was whirling. Why would you beat your own child? And for something as stupid as parking spaces? I didn't understand, but I was glad Eyeball came to me. I was also glad Uncle Dan and Aunt Charlene were out of the house. I carried his food back to my room and waited for him to finish his shower. He came into my room slowly, like he was afraid I'd make him leave. He'd combed his clean wet hair flat to his head, except where it curled around his forehead and the nape of his neck. I didn't think I'd ever seen him look so sexy.  
  
"Here's your food." I handed it to him.  
  
"Thanks." He sat down on the bed beside me and wolfed it down. He practically drained the milk in one gulp. "Um," He looked like wanted to ask something, but was embarrassed.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Do you happen to have a extra toothbrush I can borrow? I feel like I have food in my teeth." He blushed and ducked his head, so unEyeball like.  
  
"Yeah, it's under the sink. I think it's a blue one." I willed myself not to laugh. Thankfully, I suceeded.  
  
"Great."  
  
When he came back from brushing his teeth, he sat down beside me and lightly touched his arm.  
  
"You okay?" I asked. He nodded, but sniffled and swiped at his eyes. "Listen, if you want to cry or anything-"  
  
He cut me off. " I don't cry! Cobra's never cry!" He swiped his eyes again. I took his hand.  
  
"Why don't they cry, Eyeball?" I asked. Tears were starting to roll now, and his body was shaking with pent up sobs.  
  
"Because it's pussy! It's pussy! It's-" He grind his fist into his eyes, but couldn't keep the tears from falling. I put my arms around him and pulled him closer to me. "Why does he hate us so much? Why doesn't he love us? God, we're part of him! Why?"  
  
"Shhh, honey, I know. I know." I held him, just like he held me that time a Vince's and we rocked back and forth. Finally, he calmed down and the tears stopped. We lay back on my pillow, and I wraped my arms around him again. He lay his head on my shoulder.  
  
"Sing 'Michelle'." He whispered.  
  
"Michelle, ma belle....." I sang the song to him three times before he was satisfied, running my fingers through his still damp hair while I sang. He looked up at me, his brown eyes still so sad.  
  
"Sing a lullaby. But noting to sappy" I thought for a second trying to remember a song my Mother used to sing when I was upset. When she actually noticed, that is.  
  
"Beautiful dreamer, wake unto me. Starlight and moonlight are waiting for thee. Sounds of the cruel world heard in the day, now in the nightfall, all passed away.........." I sang until he fell asleep. Then, I pulled the blankets up over us and held him close to me. I was exhausted. What a night this had been.  
  
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Whew, that was a long one. I hope you liked it. Okay, I know maybe it seems like Eyeball is a little OOC, but come on! He's human! You don't think if your Dad had beat you, you wouldn't act like that? I'm speaking from experience here. Yeah, my Dad, the worldest biggest dickhead, was just like that with me. Thankfully, I never have to see him again. But enough about that! Review, please!!!!! 


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: Thank you, all my lovely, lovely reviewers!!!! Kisses to everyone!!!!! I love you all SO MUCH!!!!! Oh yeah, I have the Chambers' kids calling their father 'Daddy' because thats how they do it in the book. Alright, you guys know the drill! Onward!!!!!  
  
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******* I whirled around and around. My head was spinning, but I couldn't feel a thing. I was dancing off the ground, at least 200 feet in the night sky. Suddenly, I tripped, and I was falling,falling, falling through the air. I knew I'd be killed when I hit the ground. I closed my eyes and braced myself for the crash, but it never came. Someone had caught me. I looked up into Eyeball's soft, brown eyes.  
  
"When you're with me, you'll never fall." He said, tilting my face up..........*******  
  
"Storm, wake up! Storm!" Someone was shaking me, rousing me from my wonderful dream. "Come on! Wake up!"  
  
I opened one eye, slowly. Eyeball was looking down at me. "Good, you're up. I don't want Billy to find me in your bed. Or in his clothes, for that matter."  
  
I muttered something uninteligable, threw my blankets off and headed for my bedroom door. Eyeball stood up, too. "Listen, Storm, about last night-"  
  
I spun around. (I'm not a morning person, even now.) "I won't tell anyone, if that's what you're worried about."  
  
"No! Well, yeah, that too, but mostly, I wanted to say thanks. Not all of my friends would have done that for me. Actually, you're the only one who would." He blushed and I felt bad for jumping down his throat.  
  
"It's no big deal." I told him. His blackeye looked even worse in the bright, morning light. "Let's go downstairs."  
  
We headed down to the kitchen. I secretly hoped we were the only ones awake, but no, there was Vern, standing at the stove, making something, and Billy sitting at the table. They both looked extremly surprised to see Eyeball.  
  
"What're you doing here?" Vern asked. For some reason, he was scooping egg yokes into a plastic baggie.  
  
"Why're you wearing my clothes? Man, what happened to your face?" Billy looked like he knew what had happed, and for Billy, that's saying a lot.  
  
"I had a run in with my Dad." Was all Eyeball said, but a look of understanding came over Billy and Vern's faces.  
  
"Vern, what the hell are you doing?" I asked, changing the subject.  
  
"Yeah, Vern, what ARE you doing?" Billy, turned around in his chair, I guess noticing for the first time that Vern was saving the yokes.  
  
"I'm making omelets, but I don't want high cholestreol, so I'm putting the yokes in a baggie." Vern scooped another yoke. "I thought I could send them to the starving kids in Africa."  
  
"Great," Billy told him. "They can all die of heartattacks. Your heart's in the right place, Vern. I just don't know where the fuck your brain is."  
  
I giggled and Vern stuck out his tongue, then went back to making his omelet.  
  
"Does anyone else want something thats not COMPLETLY STUPID to eat?" Billy asked, looking at Vern, who had just finished cooking his omelet and was now dumping hot sauce on it.  
  
"Um, I'll just have some toast." Eyeball said.  
  
"Maybe you should call your mom?" I asked him, touching his arm lightly. He jumped when I touched him.  
  
"Uh, yeah, probably. Is that okay?" Eyeball smiled tentatively.  
  
"Yes, Eyeball, it's fine." I told him patiently. "I'll make your toast while you call. I hope you like grape jelly, 'cause that's all we got." Billy, who was making himself some bacon, looked at me, raising his eyebrows. I knew what he was on about. I'd never offered to make food for him or Vern.  
  
"Yeah, grape's my favorite." He said, as he reached for the phone. By this time, Vern had carried his yokeless omelet into the living room to watch TV and Billy had followed with his bacon. They were now fighting over what show to watch. I tried not to listen in on Eyeball's conversation, but since the phone is near the toaster, I sorta couldn't help it.  
  
"Hi, Mama. It's me, Richie. Yeah, I'm alright, just a few bruises, and a blackeye. No, Mama, it's okay. It doesn't hurt too bad. No, I'm at the Tessio's house. Yeah, they don't mind. Has Daddy left yet? He hasn't? Shi- I mean, darn, because I was gonna come home after I ate. No, Mama, I'm not putting anyone out. They invited me to eat. No, Mrs. Tessio's not here. You could talk to Storm, though. Okay?" He held the phone out to me. "She wants to talk to you."  
  
I took the phone. "Hello?"  
  
"Storm?" Mrs. Chambers voice sound raspy, like she'd been crying all night. She probably had.  
  
"Yes, ma'am?"  
  
"Is it okay, for my Richie to be there, with Charlene gone and what not?"  
  
"Oh, yes, Mrs. Chambers, it's fine."  
  
"He's not eating you out of house and home, is he?"  
  
"No, Mrs. Chambers, he isn't." I told her. "He's hardly eaten anything."  
  
"Okay, if your sure, sweetie. Put Richie back on, please."  
  
I handed the phone back to Eyeball and went back to fixing his toast.  
  
"Okay, Mama, I will. No, it's fine. Yeah, just call me when he leaves. I'll be here. I love you too. Bye."  
  
I handed him his toast and a glass of milk, as he hung up the phone, then poured myself a bowl of cereal. "Let's eat up in my room.........Richie."  
  
"Oh shut up." He told me, but he was smiling, so I knew he wasn't mad.  
  
"I think it's cute! It's a lot sweeter than EYEBALL." I sat down on my bed, and he sat in my desk chair, spinning it around and around while he ate.  
  
"I'm a Cobra, Storm. My name ain't suppose to be cute or sweet. It's suppose to be tough."  
  
"You're not tough." He gave me mean look as he spun in circles.  
  
"Gee, thanks." He said sarcastically.  
  
"That's not what I meant! You are tough, but only on the outside. On the inside, where it really matters, you're the sweetest person I know."  
  
He smiled and stopped spinning. "Can I kiss you?"  
  
"What?!"  
  
"Can I kiss you?" He blushed again, and I knew my face was on fire.  
  
"Um.......yes!"  
  
He sat down on the bed beside me and I leaned towards him. When our lips met, I felt like I was in one of those sappy romance novels Aunt Charlene was always reading. It was like a hundred different feelings were rushing through me. I parted my lips slightly and Eyeball slipped his tongue in, exploring my mouth with it. When we were finished kissing, he put his arm around my waist and I leaned against him, laying my head on his shoulder.  
  
"I really like you Storm. I like you a lot."  
  
"I know you do. Everyone tells me so." I told him.  
  
"Oh yeah? Like who?"  
  
"Um, lets see. Billy, Teddy Duchamp, Vern, Charlie, Fuzzy, your brother, Sandra, Val-"  
  
"Wait a sec. My brother? Chris?"  
  
I giggled. "Yeah. Remember that day I walked him home from the ball field? The day Charlie asked me out?"  
  
"Yeah......" Eyeball said slowly.  
  
"Well, on the way to your house, he said that you thought I was pretty, and that maybe you liked me."  
  
"I don't think your pretty Storm, I think your beautiful."  
  
"Aww, you'll say anything to try and woo me, won't you?"  
  
He grinned. "Yes."  
  
_______________________________________________________________________  
  
Mrs. Chambers called about 1:30 and told Eyeball it was safe for him to come home. He did so reluctantly.  
  
"I could go with you." I offered.  
  
"Thanks, baby, but you better let things cool down for a few days 'fore you come over." He said. I grinned, causing him to smile. "What?"  
  
"You called me 'baby'."  
  
"I know, thats 'cause you are my baby. I mean, if you wanna be."  
  
"I'd like that." I told him.  
  
"Good. I was hoping you would." He pulled on his socks. (I had washed his wet clothes for him.)  
  
I walked him to the sidewalk, away from the prying eyes of Vern and Billy, who both, unsurprisingly, decided to stay home with Eyeball and me and wait for Mrs. Chambers to call.  
  
Eyeball kissed me again. "I'll call you later, okay?" He whispered.  
  
"Okay. Be careful. And........" I didn't quite know how to end that sentence.  
  
"And if my Dad's car is there, I'll come straight back here." He finished.  
  
"You better." I told him. He just smiled in response and headed towards his house. I watched him till he disappered around the corner, then went back inside.  
  
"Why was he kissing you?" Vern demanded as soon as I entered.  
  
"Were you SPYING on me?" I asked, looking from Billy to Vern.  
  
"Vern was." Billy answered. "I told him to get the fuck away from the window, but he didn't listen............So are and Eyeball a *item*?"  
  
He said 'item' in this high pitched, girlie, voice. "Yep, I guess we are. Proud of me, Bill? I went for it! Just like you told me!"  
  
Billy wiped away pretend tears. "Yeah, I'm proud. My little girl is growing up so fast!"  
  
"Oh, stuff it." I told him.  
  
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Ok, I got Eyeball and Storm together. How'd I do? Why don't you tell me when you REVIEW? **HINT,HINT** 


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: Thanks for all my wonderful reviews! You guys are great, really. I LOVE YOU!!!! I'm a little hyper tonight. Everynight, actually!!!! The song they listen to is from the TV show 'Mad about you'. I know it wasn't a song back then, but it fits, so we can over look that, right? Good.  
  
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Eyeball and I grew closer as the summer progressed. He was so sweet to me. Don't get me wrong, we had our share of arguments, mostly stemming from the fact that he didn't want me around his house. I understood this, and I didn't. He said he just didn't want me near his Dad, who I still had not met-not that I minded, but I secretly thought maybe he was ashamed of his family and I just didn't get that. Well, I mean, Mr. Chambers, yeah, but what about Mrs. Chambers, and the younger children? They were nice, weren't they?  
  
"Eyeball?" I asked. We were hanging out down by the lake, laying on one of the docks, me in my swimsuit and he in his swimming trucks(a pair of cut off blue jeans). He turned over on his stomach to look at me.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Can I come over to your house tonight? Please?" He rolled his eyes.  
  
"I don't know Storm. My Dad might be there."  
  
"So?"  
  
He puffed out his cheeks. "So, I know how he is and I know how you are." I sat up and dangled my legs off the end of the dock.  
  
"What's that suppose to mean?"  
  
"You know damn good and well what it means." He said. This was an argument we'd had many times before. "I'll say something to piss him off. He'll come after me. You'll try to get between us. He'll end up hurting you, then I'll have to kill him. And, believe me Storm, as much as I hate him, I don't want to go to jail."  
  
I looked at my hands. "I know you don't. I just wanna get to know your family better."  
  
Eyeball snorted. "I can't imagine why." He said.  
  
"It's just.........forget it. Nevermind." I told him. "Come on, I'm bored. Let's go to my house." I pulled a pair of shorts on over my swimsuit bottoms, grabbed my towel, and headed for his car. Eyeball followed me.  
  
"Come on, Storm, don't be like that!" He said. I didn't answer, just climbed in the front seat. "Storm, you don't understand!" He snapped at me, starting the car.  
  
"Maybe I would understand, if you'd tell me!" I snapped back. We drove in silence for a few minutes.  
  
"Look, Storm, I'm sorry I yelled." He said, reaching across the seat to take my hand. For a half a second, I considered pulling my hand away and ignoring him. One look at his face, though, and I couldn't do it.  
  
"Yeah, I'm sorry, too." I told him, smiling. He squeezed my fingers and I scooted across the seat to him. He let go of my hand and put his arm around me. We stayed like that the rest of the way to my house. When we got there, he took hold of my hand again as we started up the front steps, where Vern, Chris, Gordie, and Teddy sat.  
  
"Whoo!" Vern said.  
  
"Shut the fuck up, fatso." Teddy told him.  
  
"I can't help being fat." Vern replied. "It runs in my family."  
  
"Vern, ain't nobody run's in your family! Ehh, Ehh, Ehh" Teddy laughed his crazy laugh and I nudged him with my bare foot.  
  
"Watch it, bucko! I'm part of his family!" I told him, opening the front door.  
  
"Oh yeah. Sorry, Storm."  
  
Eyeball and I walked in the house. Aunt Charlene and two of her friends, Gloria and Betty, sat on the couch. The three of them had gone to Castle Rock High together, been bridesmaids at each others weddings, and now they sold Avon.  
  
"Hello Storm, Richard." Gloria, a brunette, who was slightly on the chunky side said. "You two just come from the lake?"  
  
"Yeah." Eyeball replied.  
  
"Oh, you girls remember all the good times we had at that lake, we when were their age?" Betty, a skinny blonde, with twice the usual amount of neck, asked. That got the three of the talking about their youth.  
  
"Uh, we're going upstairs." I said, taking Eyeball by the hand and practically pulling him to the stairs.  
  
"Storm, you two keep your door open." Aunt Charlene called after me. I rolled my eyes.  
  
"Yes, Aunt Charlene."  
  
Eyeball went into the bathroom to change into some dry clothes and I pulled on a pair of white shorts and an orange tank top.  
  
"Are you dressed yet?" Eyeball asked from the other side of the door.  
  
"Yeah." I opened the door. He sat in my desk chair, his usual spot, spinning it around.  
  
"You're gonna break that chair." I told him. He shrugged and spun again.  
  
"Mr. Tessio'll buy you a new one." He said. I rolled my eyes. "I saw that."  
  
"And?" I said. He just shook his head and turned on my radio. We listened to a few songs quietly, me laying on my bed, and he spinning around in my chair like a three year old.  
  
"Oh, this is my new favorite song." He said, turning it up. "It reminds me of us." Eyeball grinned sheepishly and I listened to the words of the song.  
  
Tell me why, I love you like I do,  
  
Tell me who  
  
Can stop my heart as much as you,  
  
Tell me all your secrets, and I'll tell you most of mine,  
  
They say nobody's perfect,  
  
Well, thats really true this time  
  
I dont have the answers,  
  
I dont have a plan  
  
All I have is you  
  
So darling, help me understand  
  
(What we do) - you can whisper in my ear  
  
(Where we go) - who knows what happens after here  
  
Let's take each other's hand as we jump in to the Final Frontier  
  
I'm mad about you baby,  
  
Mad About You  
  
He sang that last part and I giggled. Eyeball came over and layed down on the bed beside me. I snuggled up next to him and we lay like that for a lomg time.  
  
"Storm?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"What was the best day of your life?" I looked up at him, surprised. It was such an unEyeball like thing he had asked. I thought for a moment.  
  
"Well," I began. "I guess it was when we lived in Amsterdam. I was about nine, I think. My mother and me ate raw hamburgers on buns and she sang this cowboy song: "Yippee I oh ki a, git along little doggies." She told me a doggie was a term for a stray calf. Then, we stood on this bridge over the river and Mother whispered, "Watch this." She waved to the tourist on a glassbottom boat and they all smiled and waved back. They thought we were natives, see, welcoming them to our home. You know, that was the only time I ever remember Amsterdam being sunny." I took a breath. "What about you? What was the best day of your life?"  
  
He smiled a sad smile. "It was the day before Christmas, when I was five. It had snowed really hard the night before, and as soon as Frank, you know my older brother, and me got up, we were out playing in it. Mama even brought Chris out for a little while. He was just a baby, but he played with us. Then, when Daddy got home from work, he had a steady job at the time, he helped us build a huge snowman in the front yard. When we were done, he picked me up and gave me a kiss. Then he tossed me in the air and told me I was his special boy. That's one of the only times he ever gave me a kiss." Eyeball smiled again.  
  
"Sounds like fun." I told him.  
  
"It was."  
  
"Why did you wanna know what the best day of my life was?" I asked him. I couldn't help it. If someone had asked me what were the twenty most likely questions to come out of his mouth, that wouldn't have been one of them.  
  
Eyeball shrugged. "I don't know. Just curious, I guess." We were quiet after that. I actually fell asleep. I think Eyeball did too. I woke up when I felt him moving.  
  
"What time is it?" I asked sleeply.  
  
"Almost 7. I have to get home."  
  
"Eyeball. Let me come with you." I told him. He started to shake his head, then stopped.  
  
"Alright, you can come. Just, if my Dad startes in, ignore it, okay?"  
  
"Agreed." We headed down the stairs. "I'm going to Eyeball's for awhile." I annouced. Aunt Charlene, who was on the phone, just nodded.  
  
On the way to his house, Eyeball was practically biting his nails. "Richard," I said, using his real name. "Quit worrying. It'll be fine."  
  
"Let's just get this over with." Was his reply.  
  
When we walked into his house, a strong, musty smell hit my nose. It smelled like stale whiskey and something else I couldn't quite place. Moth balls, maybe? Mr. Chambers was in the kitchen. He seemed to be the only one around. Eyeball sent me a warning look, then turned to his father.  
  
"Uh, hi, Daddy." He said. Mr. Chambers just grunted in reply. Another look from Eyeball.  
  
"Uh, Daddy, this is my girlfriend, Storm." His Dad looked me up and down, sneering.  
  
"What the fuck kinda name is 'Storm'?" He asked. I felt Eyeball's hand, which was in mine, tighten.  
  
"It's the name her mother gave her when she was born." He replied. Mr. Chambers slapped him, hard, on the back of the head.  
  
"What your mouth smartass! I wasn't talkin' to you, I was talkin' to her!" He looked at me.  
  
"Um, well, my Mother said my eyes were the color of rain clouds and she's always loved storms, so she just named me that."  
  
Mr. Chambers didn't say anything, just continued to stare at me.  
  
"Well, Daddy, Storm just wanted to meet you and see where we lived. We'll just be leaving now. Bye!" Eyeball dragged me back out to his car before his father could stop us. "See, Storm! See why I didn't wan't you to come over! That's how he always is!" Eyeball rubbed the back of his head.  
  
"Does your head hurt?" I asked.  
  
"Naw, not too much." He said. "After I drop you off, I'm gonna go Ace's, see if I can stay the night. I can't stand to go back in that house tonight."  
  
"Why don't you just run away?" I asked him.  
  
"What and leave my best girl? I don't think so."  
  
"I'd go with you." I told him.  
  
He didn't say anything to that, but when he kissed me goodnight, I saw a gleam in his eye that hadn't been there before. I think it was a gleam of hope. 


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: Howdy, howdy fuckin partners!!!!!!! Sorry, I'm a little hyper again tonight. Yes, as many of you have noticed, I changed her name to Storm! It was Ocean, and now it's Storm! I like that better and I think it fits. Okay, I know I said in an earlier chapter that Eyeball wasn't in school. Well, I'm gonna change that, and put him back in school. I think that'll make it more interesting. What do you think?  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
The rest of the summer flew by. Beofre we all knew it, it was time to go back to school. Aunt Charlene had taken Billy, Vern, and me shopping for new clothes, much to Vern's dismay. I mostly got skirts and sweaters and stuff. It was in the school rules that ALL GIRLS MUST WEAR EITHER SKIRTS OR DRESSES. Yeah, it sucked, but thats the way it was then.  
  
On the first day of school, my alarm, set for 6:30, went off. I tried to find the off button, but I couldn't put my hand on it. Finally, I just threw it across the room. It clunked loudly on the wall.  
  
"You okay, Storm?" Vern asked, poking his head inside my room. He was already dressed, his hair a perfect imation of his idol, Bobby Rydell. "You better get up, you're gonna be late."  
  
I mumbled something at him, then climbed out of bed. Slowly, I pulled on a black skirt, a red, lightweight sweater, and a pair of black high heels. Well, they weren't really high heels. They were black shoes, with a bit of a heel. Aunt Charlene wouldn't let me get the ones I wanted.  
  
I headed down to breakfast, with Billy behind, me pulling a light blue shirt over his head. "Couldn't you get dressed before you left your room?" I asked him. "Believe me, you without a shirt was not the first thing I wanted to see this morning." Billy simply gave me the finger before descending into the kitchen.  
  
"Oh don't you three look nice!" Aunt Charlene said, putting some chocolate chip pancakes on my plate.  
  
"Fanks." Vern told her, his mouth full.  
  
"Vern, please." Billy said, holding his hand up. "I'm tryin' to eat here!"  
  
I didn't say anything, just shoveled my food in. I went back upstairs to brush my teeth, fix my hair, and put on some make-up. I pulled my hair back in a ponytail, then quickly applied some blush, eyeshadow, eyeliner, and mascara. Val and Sandra had showed me how to apply it. I have to say, when I finished, I looked pretty nice. As I was admiring myself in the mirror, I heard a car horn in the driveway.  
  
"Come on, Storm, Ace is here!" Billy called up the stairs. I grabbed my books, which we had already been assingned, and my lunch, and headed out to Ace's car.  
  
"About time." Ace said when I climbed in the back seat beside Billy. Val sat in the back with us. Charlie sat up front. Vince was picking Sandra, Jack, and Fuzzy up.  
  
"To school, James." I joked.  
  
"Shut up." Ace told me, but he gave me half smile.  
  
"I LOVE that sweater, Storm!" VAl squealed.  
  
"Dammit, Val, how the hell can you be so cheery so fuckin early? And on the first day of school?" Charlie asked, rubbing his blonde hair.  
  
"I don't know, I guess because I like school." Val replied.  
  
"That's because you're like a genius or somethin'." Billy told her, kissing her cheek.  
  
"If she's so smart, what's she doin' with you?" Ace asked. Billy gave him the finger as we pulled up to the Chambers' house. Ace honked the horn and Eyeball came out. We had to do some rearranging, since Eyeball and I insisted on sitting by each other, as did Billy and Val. Finally, we had it arranged. Ace, Eyeball and me in the front seat and Billy, Val, and Charlie in the back.  
  
"What's the big deal if you all sit by each other?" Charlie, who was mad about sitting in the back, asked. "It's a five minute ride to school."  
  
"You're just jealous Charlie, 'cause you don't have no girlfriend." Billy told him.  
  
"Am not." Charlie replied. I giggled.  
  
"You look great." Eyeball told me, squeezing my hand. He hadn't said anything about running away, since that night I went to his house, nearly two weeks before. I'd been to his house a few times since then. Thankfully, Mr. Chambers' hadn't been there.  
  
When we reached school, Ace screeched into the parking spot next to Vince's car. I could see Sandra and the other Cobra's waiting near the front steps. There was a round of "hi's" and us three girls exclaimed over each others clothes while the guys made dumb jokes about their new clothes. Finally, we headed inside. Eyeball walked me to my homeroom, buzzing my cheek before he headed off to his.  
  
"Good luck." He told me, waving. I could see some snotty looking girls in the front of the classroom give me some dirty looks as I entered. One of them whispered someting about "Eyeball Chambers girlfriend". I just walked past them, and sat in the last row, next to a girl with brown hair and very pretty blue eyes.  
  
"Hi." She said, as I sat down. "I'm Louise Pearchy, but call me Lou. I'm new."  
  
"So am I!" I told her. "I'm Storm Tessio."  
  
"Storm? Cool name." She said.  
  
"Thanks."  
  
Vince, who had the same homeroom as me, entered just then. He sat in the seat in front of mine. "Hey Storm."  
  
"Hey Vince." I nodded at Louise. "This is Lou Pearchy. She's new. Lou, this is my friend, Vince Desjardens."  
  
They exchanged hello's and the teacher, a tall, balding man entered. Everyone quieted down. "Hello class, I'm Mr. Glorfindel, your homeroom teacher. I also teach American History. I'm going to take roll, then you may talk quietly among yourselves. Now when I call your name, say 'here'. Randall Adams."  
  
"Here." The boy called out.  
  
As Mr. Glorfindel called roll, I sneaked another look at Lou. She was very pretty. She caught me looking at her and smiled. I smiled back quickly, then looked down at my schedule. This is what it looked like:  
  
HomeRoom-Glorfindel-8:00  
  
English-Franklin-8:15  
  
Science-Jackson-9:25  
  
Girls Gym-Harvey-10:35  
  
Lunch-Staff-11:45  
  
American History-Glorfindel-12:55  
  
Math-Lewis-2:05  
  
School ended at 3:15. I had most of my classes with the Cobra's. Fuzzy was in my English class, Billy and Ace were in Science, Eyeball was in American History, Charlie, Jack, Vince, and Ace were in Math. Val and Sandra were in Girls Gym with me, plus a couple of other classes. When the bell rang, I was surprised to find Eyeball waiting outside the door for me.  
  
"What're you doing here and how'd you get here so quick?" I asked him.  
  
"Walking you to class and I ran like hell." He answered. "Who's this? He asked, eyeing Lou, who was walking beside me. We had English together.  
  
"Oh! This is Lou Pearchy. She's my new friend. Lou this is my boyfriend, Eyeball Chambers." I introduced them.  
  
"Eyeball?" She asked, raising an eyebrow.  
  
"It's a nickname." He told her. "Here we are, Mrs. Franklins room. I'll be back for you at the end of class, Storm. Nice meeting you, Lou."  
  
Lou and I entered the room. Mrs. Franklin, a young darkhaired woman, sat at her desk. She smiled at us as we sat down. Fuzzy sat down beside me and I introduced him to Lou. That's basically how it went all morning, Eyeball walking to class, then picking me up afterward. Any of the Cobra's we met in the hallway, I would introduce to Lou. After Gym, I changed out of my uniform, and hurried into the hallway. I was glad it was luchtime, because I was starving. Eyeball was waiting for me.  
  
"I saw you in there, playing basketball." He teased, as we headed to my locker so I could deposit my books and grab my lunch. " You looked so cute in your little red and black uniform."  
  
"Shut up." I told him. "The boys have to wear gym suits in the school colors too."  
  
"But ours aren't that short, thank God." Ace, who had jut walked up beside us, said. We walked into the lunchroom, Ace and Eyeball heading for the hot lunch line, and me heading towards a table in the back, where Val, Sandra and the other Cobra's sat. I saw Lou enter the Cafateria and look around.  
  
"Lou!" I called. She smiled and waved, heading towards us.  
  
"Hi, guys." She said, sitting down. "Thanks for letting me sit with you."  
  
"You know everyone except Ace, right?" I asked.  
  
"Um, yeah, if I had met an Ace, I'd remember." She replied.  
  
"Oh, well, you can meet him now, here he comes." I nodded towards Ace and Eyeball, who were heading towards us, carrying trays. Lou stared at him, her eyes growing wide.  
  
"I'm boycotting this fuckin cafateria." Ace told us as he sat down. "I think I reconize this porkchop from last year."  
  
"Ew, yuck." I said, scooting over so Eyeball could sit down beside me. The food did look pretty gross. "Oh, Ace, this is Lou Pearchy. She's new."  
  
"Hi, Lou." Ace smiled at her. Lou's cheeks turned red.  
  
"Hi." She said. Lou didn't talk much over the course of lunch, but she did tell us she moved here from Arizona and that she was 16, and that she had a younger sister named Karen, who was 13.  
  
The rest of the afternoon went quick. I was glad, because I didn't like school much, and I espcially didn't like some of the looks other kids were giving me. I knew I'd gotten a reputation for dating Eyeball and hanging with the Cobra's. I told Lou in the girls room, at the end of the day, that the same thing would probably happen to her.  
  
"I don't care." She replied. "Hey, does Ace have a girlfriend?"  
  
"No." He had broken up with Alana a few weeks before. I grinned slyly. "Why you want us to get you together with him?"  
  
Val and Sandra giggled and Lou turned red. "Maybe." She said.  
  
"Ohhh, Ace is SO SWEET." Val told her. "Well, when he wants to be."  
  
"Yeah, but's always nice to his girlfriends." Sandra replied. "I could see you guys together."  
  
Lou blushed again as we headed out to the cars, where the boys were waiting. We were going to hang out, but, even though it was the first day, the teaches had piled the homework on us, so Ace was just going to drop everyone off.  
  
"Need a ride home, Lou?" Ace asked. Lou nodded. "Where do you live?"  
  
"Weston Drive." She answered. When Ace was around, it was like pulling teeth to get answers out of her!  
  
"That's near me." Ace replied. "You can ride with us. Charlie, you ride with Vince. That okay Vince?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Can I ride in the front?" Charlie asked Vince.  
  
"I don't care."  
  
Charlie climbed next to Sandra in the front seat. "See you guys tomorrow."  
  
I rested my head against Eyeball and closed my eyes. "I'm so tired." He touched the top of my head.  
  
"What'da ya wanna do this weekend?" He asked me. I shrugged, my eyes still shut. "Gee, Storm, you're a thrill a minute."  
  
"Ha-ha. So funny I forgot to laugh."  
  
"You sound like Vern." Billy told me from the backseat.  
  
"And you look like him." I shot back, as we pulled into Eyeball's driveway. "Call me when you finish your homework, okay?" I told him. We kissed goodbye, which got a group reaction.  
  
"Gross, you guys!"  
  
"Ew, get a room!"  
  
"Go Eyeball! Somebodys gettin' lucky tonight!"  
  
I slapped Ace, who had made the last remark, on his arm. "Shut up, asshole." I propped me feet up on the dash. Ace pushed my legs down.  
  
"Girl, you best be gettin' your feet off my dash."  
  
"Sorry, John." I said, slyly. I knew how he hated to be called by his real name.  
  
"Shut the fuck up."  
  
After Ace dropped Billy and me off, we headed inside. Vern was already sitting at the kitchen table, eating cherry PEZ and writing something in one of his notebooks.  
  
"How was school?" Aunt Charlene asked us.  
  
"Fine." Billy and I answered, taking the soda and cookies she offered us.  
  
"Wanna do homework in my room?" Billy asked me.  
  
"Sure."  
  
He stretched out on the floor and I sat on his bed. Surprisingly, we both got it done before supper.  
  
"Well, that's the quickest I ever did homework." Billy told me. "I usually don't even do it at all."  
  
"What made you change you mind?" I asked.  
  
"Guess your just a good influence on me, Storm." I giggled at him and he rolled his eyes. "God, you're such a girl."  
  
"Duh. If I was a boy, Eyeball wouldn't like me."  
  
"We hope."  
  
I threw a pillow at him. "Oh, be quiet."  
  
He picked up the pillow and threw it back. "Make me."  
  
"I don't make dogs, I walk 'em."  
  
"That's why your face is so furry."  
  
I picked up a ratty old teddy bear, that Billy kept on his bed. He hid it when he knew his friends were coming, but I knew he slept with it every night. "Take that back, or the bear gets it!"  
  
"No! Not Fernando!" Billy tried to pull the bear away.  
  
"Fernando?! You named that bear Fernando!? Oh my God!!! Billy, you're insane." I threw Fernando at him. "Here, take the damn bear."  
  
"Eyeball has one too, you know." Billy told me, picking Fernando up off the floor. "He has this stuff alligator, named Caption. He's had him since he was little. He keeps it under the bed."  
  
Oh, great. My boyfriend kept stuffed alligators named Caption under his bed. I nearly called Ace and asked him if he had any stuffed animals I should know about. 


	10. Chapter 10

Disclaimer~ Hi!!! I'm Back!!!!!!!!!!! Sorry it's taken so long for me to update, but here I am!!! This'll be my last update for a few weeks. My Mom has to have surgery on Friday, and I'm gonna take care of her till she's better. Okay, you know the drill, on with the story!!!!!!!! Okay, I know there might be some mistakes in the last chapter, but it was late when I wrote it, so forgive me!!!!!!!!!! Oh, and Lou, shirtless Ace just for you!!!!!!!!!!!!!  
  
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"Storm! Phone!" Vern called to me from the kitchen.  
  
"Who is it?" I called back, walking down the stars.  
  
"I dunno. Some girl."  
  
I took the phone from Vern. "Gee, you're a huge help Vernon. Now get the fuck out of the kitchen."  
  
"Go screw." He told me, heading out the back door.  
  
I rolled my eyes. "Hello?"  
  
"Hi, Storm? This is Lou."  
  
"Lou! Hey, what's up?" I pulled a stool up to the counter to sit down. It was Saturday, our first weekend after the start of school.  
  
"Oh, nothing. I was just wondering if you wanted to come over? I mean, if your not gonna be hanging out with Eyeball."  
  
I shook my head, then realized I was on the phone and Lou couldn't see me. "No, I'm not hanging out with Eyeball. Him and Ace are working in Ace's dad's garage. Sure, I'll come over. Where do you live?"  
  
Lou gave me her address and I promised to be right over. "Uncle Dan! Can you drive me to a friends house?" I asked.  
  
"Yeah, I guess I can." Uncle Dan smiled at me and I smiled back. He really was a nice guy, despite what my Mother had said about him. "You ready to go?"  
  
"Yes." We sat in the car, not really speaking. I didn't know what to say to him.  
  
"So, um, Charlene tells me you're dating that Chambers' boys, Richard." Uncle Dan commented.  
  
"Uh, yeah, I am." I replied, praying a lecture wasn't about to follow.  
  
"Oh, well, thats good. You're dating, making friends. He seems like a nice boy. I went to school with his Father, you know."  
  
I turned to him in surprise. "You did?"  
  
Uncle Dan chuckled. "Don't look so surprised, Storm. Drew Chambers was a year ahead of me. He had a crush on your mother, too."  
  
"What?! On my Mother!? Did she go out with him?"  
  
"Camille? No way. She was waiting for a ticket out of this town and Drew wasn't it." Uncle Dan smiled a sardonic smile. "That's where your father came in."  
  
"Did you know him? My father, I mean." I asked. I couldn't help but be curious.  
  
"Yeah, I knew Luke. He was my best friend. Then he swept your mother off to California and I never saw him again. Some friend, huh?"  
  
Wow. Talked about some undying feelings. Uncle Dan sounded pretty pissed off at both my parents. How could I blame him, though? If my best friend had run off with my sister(if I had one)I'd be pissed too.  
  
"Which house does Lou live in?" Uncle Dan asked, as we pulled onto Weston Drive. I guess he didn't want to talk about it anymore.  
  
"Uh, the fourth white one, on the left." Uncle Dan pulled into her driveway. I could see Lou on the front porch. She waved at me. I quickly kissed Uncle Dan on his cheek, something I had never done before.  
  
"Thanks for the ride, Uncle Dan. And thanks for telling me a little about my dad." I told him.  
  
"You're welcome, Storm. Have fun."  
  
"I will." I replied, as I climbed out of the car. "See you later."  
  
He nodded and drove away.  
  
"That your Uncle?" Lou asked.  
  
"Yep. So.................this is your house?" It was two story, white, and kinda plain.  
  
"Yeah. I know, it sucks. Come in, and you can meet my Mom. Thankfully, the stepdick's not here. I hate him." Lou said as she led me into their house. "Mom! Come meet my friend!"  
  
Her mom appeared practically out of no where. She looked almost excatly like Lou. "Hello. I'm Linda Patrick, Lou's mother. You must be Storm."  
  
"Yes Ma'am, I am."  
  
"Oh, honey, don't call me 'ma'am'. Call me Linda. All Lou's friends do." She told me. Her slight Southern accent annoyed me.  
  
"Um, okay Linda."  
  
"Let's go up to my room." Lou said. She practically pulled me up there. "I hate it when she acts like that! I'm so embarassed."  
  
"Yeah, she's........." I trailed off, not knowing how to end that sentence.  
  
"I know how she is. She wasn't like that till she married Ryan." Lou sat on her bed. She had a nice room. It was simalar to mine, without the pink.  
  
"Ryan's your stepdad?" I asked as I sat beside her.  
  
"Yeah. He's only 28. That's ten years younger than her! He hates me and Karen. He tried to get Mom to leave us behind when we moved, but Mom wouldn't do it. Sometimes I wished she had." Lou looked so sad. I had to do something to cheer her up.  
  
"Then you wouldn't have met me......or Ace."  
  
She giggled. "That's true. So, what do you wanna do?"  
  
"Oh, I don't know. We could walk over to the Merrill's garage, if you want." I suggested, lifting my eyebrows.  
  
Lou turned red. "Well, maybe we could."  
  
"Maybe? What's maybe? We have to! Now, come on!"  
  
We giggled as we headed down the stairs. "Mom, we're going to hang out with some friends! Be back later!"  
  
"Okay!" Her mom answered.  
  
We walked to Merrills Garage, which wasn't that far, just a few streets away. When we entered the garage, Ace was bending, shirtless, inside the hood of a red Chevy car, and Eyeball was laying underneath it on one of those rolling things. I knew it was him, because I reconized his shoes. I had written 'HI!' in bright blue ink pen on the white, rubber sole of his left shoe just the day before.  
  
"Hey guys!" I said. Ace jumped and hit his head on the hood.  
  
"Ow! Shit!" He said. Lou and I giggled. "It's not funny, you guys! Stop laughing! I demand you two to stop laughing!"  
  
That just made us laugh harder. Eyeball pushed himself out from underneath the Chevy. "What's going on? What's funny?" He asked. I tried to talk but couldn't catch my breath.  
  
"These two clowns won't shut up!" Ace said. Lou stopped laughing immeditly.  
  
"He bumped his head." I told Eyeball, finally able to talk. "And he's pissed because we laughed."  
  
"Oh. Okay." Eyeball apperently didn't think it was too funny. "So what are you guys doing here?"  
  
"We were bored, so we decided to pay you guys a visit." I replied, sitting down in a metal folding chair. "Is it just you two manning the fort?"  
  
"Yeah." Ace said. He was talking to me, but he was looking at Lou. She seemed to notice for the first time that he had no shirt on. She blushed.  
  
Something that always irratated me about Ace, even though he was nearly an adult, he had no hair on his chest. None. I mean, sure, Eyeball wasn't some hairy gorrilla, but he did have SOME hair around his bellybotton.  
  
"So, do you shave you chest, or what?" I asked Ace. He rolled his eyes.  
  
"Grass doen't grow on a playground." He replied, pulling some soda's out of the freezer. He offered one to Eyeball and on to Lou.  
  
"What about me?" I asked.  
  
"No." Ace said. "You made fun of my hairless chest. You can't have one."  
  
I pouted. "Eyeball can I have yours?"  
  
Eyeball shook his head. "No way. It's hot and I'm thirsty. Besides, my bottles almost empty." He shook it a little.  
  
"You guys!" I stomped my foot. "Fine! Ace, I'm sorry. I'm sure you'll grow lots of chest hair soon! Can I have a soda?"  
  
"Whats the magic word?" Ace asked, grinning a bit.  
  
"NOW!!!!" I said.  
  
"Close enough." Ace handed me a soda.  
  
"Finally. Thank you."  
  
"You're welcome."  
  
Lou and I spent the rest of the day watching Ace and Eyeball work on that dumb Chevy. Actually, it was fun. They told stupid jokes and kept us supplied with soda's. Finally, at 5:00, Ace closed the shop.  
  
"Ready to go?" He asked us. "I'm driving us home."  
  
Eyeball and I climbed in the backseat. Lou looked at us helplessly, then got in the front.  
  
"I'm gonna drop you off first, Lou, okay?" Ace told her as he got in the drivers seat.  
  
"Alright." Lou practically whispered. It only took a few minutes to get to her house. When we got there, Ace walked Lou to her front door.  
  
"Why do I feel like we're intruding on a date?" I asked Eyeball.  
  
"I don't know, but I feel like that too. Weird, huh?" We watched Ace talk to Lou. Her eye brightened and she nodded. He kissed her cheek and she went in the house.  
  
"Did you ask her out?" I demanded of Ace as soon he got back in the car.  
  
"Yeah. Is that a problem?"  
  
"No, I'm glad you asked her. The poor girl needs a little cheering up." I told him.  
  
"I think I could be the one to do that." Ace said. I had a vague idea of what he meant by that, but I didn't pay any attention to it. Maybe I should have. 


	11. Chapter 11

Disclaimer: Guess whose back, back, back? Back again, gain, gian? Me!!!! Weeeee!!!!! Sorry it took so long!!! And I just want to say thanks to Emily and Sophie who defended me against some unknown person called "Hmm" who has a serious stick in his/her ass. Thanks you guys!!!! Okay, thats all.

* * *

_When you're near me, my heart skips a beat  
  
I can hardly stand on my own two feet  
  
Because I love you, I love you, I do  
  
Angel Baby, my angel baby_  
  
I danced around the kitchen, singing along, rather loudly, to The Rosettes. This happened to be new favorite song.  
  
"Storm, will you please, _shut up_?!" Vern shouted from the living room. "We're trying to watch the 'Untouchables'!"  
  
"Oh, blow it out your ass!" I shouted back. Every Friday evening, Vern invited his four best friends over to watch that stupid show, while Billy ran off to God knows where and I was stuck doing the dishes. But tonight, oh tonight, Lou was here to help me. Yep, good ole Lou was spending the night. Lou and I had quickly become best friends. We were washing the dishes and singing along to the radio. True best friend activities.  
  
_Please never leave me, blue and alone  
  
If you ever go, I'm sure you'll come back home  
  
Because I love you, I love you, I do  
  
Angel baby, my angel baby  
  
_We had now added a dance routine, which consisted of swaying back and forth and swinging our dishrags through the air.  
  
"My angel baby." Lou sang into a spoon she had just washed. I giggled, and started doing Brodway dancing. You know, swinging my arms back and forth, waving my hands in the air, and jumping up and down. "That's the worst dancing I've ever seen."  
  
"Please, you think I'm bad? Wait till you see Billy dance. It's like a cow having a seizure." I told her. She laughed, then widened her eyes.  
  
"Storm!!! That's horrible! Funny, but horrible!"  
  
I shurgged. "I'll just let you see how horrible it is when you see him dance. American Bandstand gives it three moo's."  
  
We giggled again, and we kept giggling as we finished the dishes. "So, how're things with Ace?" I asked. Lou and Ace had "officially" begun to see one another the week before. Lou was beside her self with happiness.  
  
"Things are fine." She smiled. "He's really sweet."  
  
"Did you kiss yet?" I asked her teasingly. She blushed.  
  
"Yes, like ten times."  
  
I grinned at her. "Let's go upstairs to my room."  
  
She threw down her dishrag. "Alright. Is it cold up there?"  
  
She was asking this because now that it was mid October, the temperatures had taken a sudden drop. Since Lou was used to the warm Arizona weather, and I was used to California, we were always cold.  
  
"No, Uncle Dan and Aunt Charlene have central heating. It's the same temperature all over the house." I poked my head in the living room. "Vern, we're going upstairs, okay?"  
  
Vern, or his friends, never took their eyes from the screen. "Kay."  
  
Lou and I giggled again. "They're obsessed with that _stupid _show."  
  
"Karen is the same way!"  
  
When we got upstairs, we did.....................a whole lot of nothing. Mostly, we listened to the radio, read magazines, and talked about our boyfriends. Oh yeah, and we ate.......and ate.......and ate.  
  
"Does Eyeball ask you to help him with his homework all the time?" Lou asked, between bites of her Oreo.  
  
I rolled my eyes. "Yes!! He acts like, if I don't help him, he's gonna fail _every single subject_."  
  
"Ace does the same thing. I'm like, you're not stupid! Figure it out on your own!" Lou finished her cookie, and opened a bag of chip.  
  
"I know, then he's all pouting and saying 'since you're his girlfriend it's your job to help him', right?"  
  
"Right! It's so stupid." She looked at the chip bag, which was now practically attached to my face. "We're gonna get fat, you know."  
  
I shrugged. "That's okay. Eyeball say's I'm too skinny and I need some meat on my bones."  
  
Lou snickered. "Please. He could use a little meat off his bones." I giggled.  
  
"That's mean, but God it funny. It's not really funny, it's just......funny." I said, gasping for breath.  
  
"I shouldn't make fun, but I just couldn't resist that."  
  
Outside we heard car doors slam. "Sounds like Billy and the others are here." I said. Lou looked down at her blue, flannel, pajamas, then at me, in my plaid pants and gray sweatshirt. Both of us had wet hair from our showers, and no make-up. Well, do you blame us? We weren't expecting them.  
  
"Oh my God! We look like the League of the Dead!!!!" Lou shrieked, as we heard the front door open. "Lock the door, lock the door!"  
  
"It doesn't have a lock!!!" I told her.  
  
"Well, shut it!! Maybe they won't know we're here!"  
  
I quickly shut the door, and turned down the radio. We sat on the floor, quietly. I don't know why we were doing this. Eyeball and his friends had seen me in my pajamas before. It wasn't that big of a deal. I guess it was to Lou, though. She and Ace had just started dating, and she didn't know our friends really well. She held a finger to her lips, and I rolled my eyes.  
  
"Hey, I think Lou's spending the night with Storm tonight." I heard Billy say. "Let's see what they're doing."  
  
"Act naturally!" Lou hissed. She grabbed a magazine and pretended to read it. I calmly turned it right side up as Billy flung the door open.  
  
"Oh yes, Billy, you can come in. Thanks for knocking." I said sarcastically. He just grinned as they all piled into my room. "Hello, we're _trying _to have a sleepover here!!"  
  
"No, it's okay." Lou said, grinning as Ace sat down beside her. Eyeball hopped into my desk chair and spun it around.  
  
"Get the hell out of that chair!" I told him. He stuck out his lower lip and pulled me down onto his lap. "Let me up!"  
  
"No!" He said, kissing the back of my neck. "I haven't seen you all day."  
  
I giggled. "You saw me at school, Richard."  
  
"That doesn't count! I was learning!" He said. Vince laughed.  
  
"Since when do you learn, Eyeball?"  
  
"Since I met Storm. She makes me want to better myself."  
  
"Awww!" I threw my arms around him. "That's so sweet!!!!"  
  
Eyeball grinned. "I know."  
  
"He's using a line on you." Fuzzy told me, bouncing on my bed. "He told his last girlfriend the same thing."  
  
"Ah! Well, that's just nice!" I told Eyeball. "I'm mad at you!"  
  
"He's lying Storm!" I turned my head and refused to answer. "Who're you gonna believe? Me or Fuzzy?" I still didn't answer. "You're the most beautiful girl in Castle Rock!"  
  
I threw my arms around him again, and kissed him on the forehead. "Okay, I forgive you."  
  
"Wow," Eyeball looked amazed. "That was easy." He grinned and we kissed.  
  
"Get your lips off my little, innocent, cousin!" Billy said. I rolled my eyes. He'd been doing stuff like that more and more lately. It was embarassing and it really pissed me off.  
  
"Billy, can I see you in the hallway a minute?" I climbed off Eyeball's lap and went out to the hall. Billy followed me.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Don't ever, _ever_, do that again, Billy. I mean it."  
  
"What're you gonna do, huh?" He asked. I grinned.  
  
"I'll tell everyone about Fernando."  
  
Billy gasped. It was almost a girly sound, and it was really funny. It took all my self will to keep myself busting out laughing. "You wouldn't!"  
  
"Oh, I would." I told him. "And if you don't lay off me and Eyeball, I will."  
  
"Alright! I won't say another word about it."  
  
"Promise?"  
  
He smiled, and touched my shoulder. "I promise. Let's go back in your room, before they send out the S.W.A.T team for us."  
  
I giggled and we walked back in the room. Lou and Ace were making out on the floor. I looked at them as I climbed back on Eyeball's lap. "I'd tell you two to get a room, but we're already in one." Ace sent me the finger and I laughed. "So Billy, where's Val tonight?"  
  
Billy rolled his eyes. "Her's mom's still sick. She's been taking care of her."  
  
I turned to look at Vince. "What about Sandra? She wasn't in school today."  
  
"She's sick, too. She has the flu." Vince said.  
  
"Again?" Charlie asked from the floor. He was looking at one of my magazines. "Didn't she have the flu last week?"  
  
"Yeah." Vince looked at the floor. "I'm worried about her. She keeps getting sick."  
  
I smiled sypathetically at him. "Everyone gets sick this time of year. I'm sure she'll be fine."  
  
"Yeah." Fuzzy added. "Fine like a, um, non-sick person. Fine."  
  
Vince didn't look encouraged at Fuzzy's words. "She'll be fine, Vince." I told him. "Count on it."  
  
"Yeah, man. She'll be fine." Charlie pipped up from the floor. "Here, have one of Storm's magazines. They'll take your mind off things." He handed Vince a magazine, which surprisingly Vince took. Eyeball laughed silently, and I elbowed him.  
  
"Ow!" He whispered. "That hurt!"  
  
"Stop laughing!" I told him. "Vince is upset!"  
  
"So?"  
  
"So, how would you feel if I was sick?"  
  
He grinned. "I'd use every excuse I could to sneak up here and make out with you."  
  
I rolled my eyes. "You are one sad, sick, little man."  
  
"Thank you."  
  
"Okay, okay." I stood up. "It's been nice, seeing all of you, but Lou and I _trying_ to have a sleepover. Do you think you guys could leave?"  
  
Lou finally detached herself from Ace. "Yeah........"  
  
"But, we're not finished with our magazines yet!" Charlie protested.  
  
"Take 'em with you." I told him. "Just go."  
  
"Alright, alright." They went down stairs, till only Ace and Eyeball were left.  
  
"Alone at last!" Eyeball said. "Now we can, you know." He put his arms around me. Ace and Lou were attached at the lips again.  
  
As tempting as that sounded, I shook my head. "Hey, don't count your chickens buster."  
  
"Alright, fine." He turned to Ace. "Come on, man." He gave me one more kiss. "Bye."  
  
I smiled. "Bye."

* * *

"So, then the tiger say's 'Don't forget to keep those monkeys hopping'!" It was 3:00 in the morning, and Lou had just told the millionth stupid joke of the evening. I giggled. Looking back now, I realize, it wasn't that funny. But hey, after you've had about 15 Coke's and 20 candy bars, it's hilarious.  
  
"Okay, okay, I have one. What's gray, red, and white?" I asked, opening another soda.  
  
"What?" Lou giggled, even though she hadn't heard the punchline yet.  
  
"Campbell's Cream of Elephant Soup!"  
  
We both erupted in laughter, and Lou fell off the bed. Once, again it wasn't that funny, but hey, whatever.  
  
"You girls be quiet!" Uncle Dan shouted from down the hall. "Some of us have to work in the morning."  
  
"Sorry!" Lou and I called back.

Then we started giggling again.


	12. Chapter 12

Disclaimer: Hi!!! It's me!!!!! Okay, okay, when you read this chapter, you might realize that things seem to be a little...............graphic. I swear, it won't be that bad!!!! One more thing, Storm is _not _going to get pregnant!!! It seems everytime someone sleeps with a Cobra, they get pregnant! Not that I can say anything, because I've written a fic like that too! This one's just a little different. Please, _please_, don't freak out at the sex part!!Like I said, it won't go into any deatail, but it is in there. That's basically what this chapter is about. I wouldn't put it in if I didn't think my readers were old enough to handle it..................God, I sound like a parent! Shoot me!!!

* * *

_"I know a song that get's on everybody's nerves, everybody's nerves, everybody's nerves. i know a song that gets on everybody's nerves, and this is how it goes! Verse One: I know a song that gets on everybody's nerves, everybody's nerves, everybody's nerves. I know a song that gets on everybody's-"  
_  
"Shut up, Vern!" Billy and I shouted. Vern had been singing that _stupid _song for the past thirty minutes. Billy and I were sitting in the kitchen, by the phone. We were both waiting for phone calls, I was waiting for Eyeball, and Billy was waiting for Val. It was a Friday morning in late November. School had been canceled that day, thanks to snow. The phone rang, and Billy and I both lunged for it. "I'll get it!!"  
  
I reached the phone first. Smirking at Billy, I picked it up. "Hello?"  
  
"Hey Storm, what's up?" It wasa Eyeball. I stuck my tongue out at Billy, and signaled for him to leave the kitchen. He gave me the finger as he slouched into the living room, where Vern was still singing.  
  
"Hey, Eyeball. Nothing's up. I'm just being bored, and listen to Vern sing, and Billy complain." I said, hopping up on the kitchen counter. Eyeball laughed.  
  
"Sounds like fun."  
  
I sighed. "Pant loads."  
  
"So......wanna come over?" Eyeball asked me. I weighed this in my mind. It had to be better than hanging out here, listening to Tweedle- Dee and Tweedle-Dum.  
  
"Alright then." I told him. "I'll walk over in a few minutes."  
  
"Walk! Storm, it's freezing out!!! There's six inches of snow on the ground! I'll come and get you."  
  
"With the way you drive? You'll have a wreck before you leave the drive way!! I'll walk!" I leaned my head on one of the cabinets. "Besides, I like the snow. It's new to me."  
  
I could practically see him rolling his eyes. "Fine. But if you get sick, don't blame me!"  
  
I giggled. "Yes Mom."  
  
"Ha-Ha. Remind me to laugh at that in ten minutes."  
  
"I will if I'm there." I told him, giggling again.  
  
We hung up soon after that. I headed up stair and changed out of my flannel pajamas. I pulled on a pair of dark blue jeans, and dug through my closet for my favorite yellow sweater. "Has anyone seen my yellow sweater?!" I yelled at the top of my lungs.  
  
"No!" Vern yelled back in a high pitched, girly voice.  
  
"Shut up, jack-off!"  
  
I finally found my sweater. It was under my bed. Don't ask me how it got there. I pulled the sweater over my head, and ran a brush through my hair. I dug around the junk on my floor, trying to locate my black boots. I found them in Vern's room. Once again, don't ask me. Walking down the stairs, I could see Billy on the phone, and Vern was still humming that stupid song.  
  
"Going to Eyeball's!!" I called, pulling my coat and gloves on.  
  
I walked out into the snowy weather. I love winter time. The snow was swirling heavly, and the ground was already covered. I squinted as I headed towards the sidewalk. I walked quickly to the Chambers' house, my head down. My hair fell in my face, and I wished I had brought my sockcap. After what felt like five hours, even though it was probably only about ten minutes, I reached his house.  
  
"Told you, didn't I?" Eyeball said, as he let me in. I glared at him.  
  
"Just shut up and get me warm." I replied, pulling my coat off. He grinned, putting his arms around me.  
  
"Okay, if you insist..............."  
  
"Oh, I'm so cold." I snuggled my head against his chest. He pulled me closer. "That's much better."  
  
"Good." He mumured into my hair. "Uck, your hair's all wet!"  
  
"I just walked seven blocks in the snow, Richard. What'd you expect?" I told him. I noticed that the house was unually quiet. "Where is everyone?"  
  
We walked into the living room, and sat on the couch.  
  
"Well, Chris is at Gordie's, Mom and the little kids are visiting my Aunt Beverly, and I have no idea where my Dad is. He's been gone for nearly three days. Good riddence." He muttered. I smiled reasurringly, and patted his arm.  
  
"So, what do you wanna do today?" I asked, laying back on the couch, and kicking my boots off. He smiled down at me, and I reconized that look in his eyes. 'Oh God,' I thought. 'Not again.'  
  
"Well, I was hoping," I closed my eyes, knowing what he was going to say. "That we could play cards."  
  
I opened one eye slowly. That wasn't what I was expecting at all. "Cards?" Eyeball held up a deck of cards.  
  
"Yeah. You know how to play Double Solitare?" He asked. I nodded, speechless.  
  
We actually did play Double Solitare, for well over an hour. "Ha-Ha! I beat you again!" I said, grinning.  
  
"Why didn't you tell me you was so good?" He grumbled. I giggled.  
  
"Sorry! I've only played, like, twice. Vern taught me how." I replied. Eyeball rolled his eyes.(No pun intended!)  
  
"Well, that makes sense. Vern has no life." He said. I don't know why, but that offended me a little bit.  
  
"Well, he's only thirteen!"  
  
"Chris is thirteen too, but he still has a girlfriend and stuff." Eyeball grinned. "You sure look cute when you get mad."  
  
"I'm _not _mad. I'm just don't like it because everybody picks on Vern. I know he's not the brightest marker in the box, but still." I decided maybe I should change the subject. "So Chris has a girlfriend? Who?"  
  
"I don't know. Her name's Lisa or Leslie, or something. She was over here the other day."  
  
"Is she pretty?" I asked.  
  
Eyeball shrugged his shoulders. "For a thriteen year old girl, I guess. She has blonde hair. Or brown. I can't remember."  
  
"You're real observent, sweetie."  
  
"I love it when you call me sweetie." He said, kissing me deeply. I leaned back on the couch, Eyeball leaning with me. He was practically on top of me. "You know, I really love you alot."  
  
I sat up quickly, knocking him off me. "What?!" I didn't mean too knock him off, but what he said had surprised me. I wasn't expecting that.  
  
Eyeball's face reddend. "I-I said 'I really like you alot.'"  
  
"Oh." I maybe be a little dumb, but I know he didn't say 'like'. He kissed me again, and I wrapped my arms around him. After about ten minutes of this, Eyeball pulled away.  
  
"Do you wanna go upstairs?" He whispered. I nodded. He picked me up and carried me too his room.We lay down on his bed, and he slowly pulled my shirt up over my head. "Storm, you're so beautiful. As beautiful as any girl I've ever seen."  
  
I quickly discovered that words could dazzle like jewels.They went in my ears and traveled to my brain, but they kept on going, straight to my heart. They nugded the woman in me, and I suddenly longed for him in ways I'd only felt in my most private dreams. I felt his leg between mine, and I pressed myself against him eagerly. We writhed, kissed, drank at each others lips. I was in such a daze, that I vaguely felt him undo the button on my jeans. Before I could stop him, his hand was inside, and he found my most private place. I didn't turn away. His excitement grew rapidly, and his breathing came fast. I began to feel my first twinge of fear.  
  
"Eyeball, I've never done this before!"  
  
"I know," He whispered in my ear. "But I've never wanted it more with anyone. I love you, Storm. I love you more than anything."  
  
"I love you, too." I whispered. And I knew it was true. I did love him.  
  
I didn't say anything else. It wasn't exactly perfect, my first time with him. What I mean is, it wasn't like it is in books and movies. No harp music, no fireworks. Just us. But, it was with someone I loved, and that's what counts. After it was over, we lay there together under his blankets.  
  
"How many girls have you been with?" I asked.  
  
"Say what?"  
  
"How many girls have you been with?"  
  
Eyeball shrugged. "A few. But none of them mean to me what you do. Does that make any sense?"  
  
I smiled. "It makes perfect sense. So, how many is a few?"  
  
"You're not gonna give this up, are you?"  
  
"No."  
  
He sighed. "I'll tell you, but don't tell anyone else, especially not Billy. Promise?"  
  
"Cross my heart, hope to die, stick a dirty needle in my eye."  
  
"Okay. Two. Two girls, that's it. Well, I guess it would be three now."  
  
I grinned. "You're movin' up the corporate ladder, baby."  
  
Eyeball rolled his eyes. "Shut up."  
  
"Hey! Is that any way to talk to the girl you love?" I asked.  
  
Before he got a chance to answer, the front door slammed. Eyeball practically jumped out of his skin. "Oh shit! I hope that's not my Dad."  
  
The two of us dressed quickly, and I tried to flatten my messy hair. We headed down stairs quietly. It wasn't Mr. Chambers, just Chris and Gordie.  
  
"Hey guys." Chris said, glancing knowingly at Gordie. "Have fun?"  
  
"Shut the fuck up." Eyeball told him. Chris held up his hands.  
  
"I didn't mean anything by it, Rich. Jeezum, lighten up." He said. I could see Gordie was trying not to break into laughter.  
  
"You guys wont's say anything about this, will you?" They both shook their heads. I turned to Eyeball. "That reminds me. If you saying anything this to the Cobra's, I swear I'll tell the entire town how many girls you've really slept with." I paused. "Then I'll castrate you, with a very blunt knife."  
  
"Alright, alright, I won't say anything. I wasn't going to anyway. Billy'd kill me." He grinned. "I ruined his pure, innocent cousin."  
  
"Okay." Gordie said. "That was an overshare. Let's go upstairs Chris, before that start going at it on the kitchen table."  
  
Eyeball and I looked at each other and started laughing. Chris just shook his head.  
  
"You guys are insane." 


End file.
